Lovers Never Meet
by jslick76
Summary: Picks up at the end of Season 3 of Orange is the New Black. Vauseman-centric. I've never written any fanfiction before, so please bear with me.
1. Chapter 1 Cinder-Fucking-Rella

Chapter 1: Cinder-Fucking-Rella

Alex heard the door close, and thought it was awfully fast for the guard to already be back. When she turned to say something, what she saw – who she saw – sent fear running through her.

"Aydin… how?"

Aydin stood there looking smug, toothpick in mouth, "This place would hire Forest Fucking Gump. The guy who interviewed me was so relieved to find someone who's actually qualified."

Alex couldn't believe it. Lolly had tried to warn her about the guard with the toothpick and she just didn't listen to her. Now, she was trapped here with him and she was terrified. She knew he'd kill her without a second thought.

"You don't have to do this," Alex pleaded.

"Yeah, I do," came Aydin's cold reply.

Alex tightened her grip on the broom handle and tried to think of a way to escape the situation. Aydin eyed her carefully and looked as if he would be ready to pounce if she tried something. He moved the toothpick from side to side in his mouth and then said, "Relax, Alex. I'm not here to kill you."

Alex, slightly taken aback by his words, stumbled backwards a little, shaking, still grabbing tightly to the broom handle. "Don't fuck with me, Aydin! Why are you here?"

"Kubra wanted to kill you months ago. We sat outside your apartment in Queens just waiting for the perfect opportunity to take you out. We almost had you then you went and got yourself busted again. When Kubra found out you were back in prison again, he decided we could use you in a better way."

Alex was confused, she didn't understand what Aydin was talking about. How could Kubra use her in prison? "Use me how, exactly?"

"Kubra is a smart man, Alex. You know this, you know how he cut out the Mexican cartel and passed on those savings to the consumer. Kubra is always looking for ways to be bigger, better, richer, and more powerful."

"Right, he's a real heroin Robin Hood," Alex shot back.

"Alex, be thankful I am not here to kill you. You testified against Kubra in open court. You know he's killed people for less than that. For fuck's sake he killed Fahri for not buying new burner phones."

"Why are you here? What can I possibly do in here to help Kubra become more powerful?"

"It's simple, Alex. You will sell heroin here."

Alex laughed, "What the fuck? How am I supposed to sell heroin in prison? I'm an importer anyway, I was never a dealer."

"You'll learn, you're resourceful. We had a girl on the inside already, but she ended up getting run over by a prison van or some shit like that. Since she's dead, you're our new girl on the inside. Running drugs in prisons has been quite lucrative for Kubra. We have several girls in several prisons all running drugs quite successfully."

Alex couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was thankful not to be dead, but how could she go back to this kind of life? She wanted those days to be over, and here was Aydin and Kubra forcing her back into it, in prison no less. "How would the drugs get into the prison?"

"I'll handle that, Alex. You just need to focus on getting a group of girls together that you can trust to help you distribute the merchandise once it's in here. You're good at recruiting girls, this should be a piece of cake for you."

"Yeah, easy peasy. And what if I refuse to do this?"

"This isn't a request, Alex. You will do this for Kubra," Aydin yelled.

"Or what?" Alex shot back.

"Or I will kill your pretty little blonde girlfriend. Funny how you two ended up back together again after she dumped you in Paris and you spent all that time get drugged up and partying to forget about her. You must really love her if you let her back into your life again. So I think it would be best to kill her first. Maybe let you watch. Then I will kill you."

Alex felt faint. Piper. Alex was upset with Piper for a lot of things right now. She had broken up with her because Piper was becoming someone she didn't like, but she could never let any harm come to Piper. Alex loved Piper and she always had. It was like Yoga Jones said just a few days ago at Red's dinner: _Lovers never meet. They're in each other all along._ Piper was in Alex always, even when they were apart for so long. Alex could die right now and that would be what she thought she deserved, but no way in hell could she let Piper die.

"I'll do it," Alex said quietly.

"Smart move. I'll be in touch in a few days with more instructions. Don't try anything stupid until then. I'll be here… watching you and watching blondie. For now, finishing sweeping up, Cinderella."


	2. Chapter 2 Queen of Tats

Chapter 2

Queen of Tats

Piper, still high from the endorphins of her infinity tattoo, sat quietly in the chapel thinking about everything that had happened today. She started out the day getting one tattoo from someone she thought she could trust, and by the end of the day she had that person sent to Max. "Trust No Bitch" was now permanently tatted on her arm and on her brain. How could she have trusted someone she barely knew so easily? Her thoughts started to drift to the first time she ever allowed herself to really trust someone. That someone had also talked her into getting her very first tattoo. That someone was Alex Vause.

 _It was a perfect summer day in Bali. Alex had asked Piper just a few days ago if she would come with her to Bali for her business trip. Piper was definitely hesitant at first because she was a good girl and she didn't want to get into any trouble with Alex. Alex had promised her that she wouldn't have to do anything and that she was just there to keep her company. Piper couldn't refuse. Alex was exciting and new, and she was a sophisticated, wealthy world traveler. All of these things appealed to Piper, but mostly she really just wanted to be with Alex. Since they met, she wanted nothing more than to be with Alex always. Alex was intoxicating and Piper was hooked._

 _Alex really wanted to take Piper scuba diving, so she had everything arranged so that they could spend the whole morning diving at a beautiful coral reef in Amed. Piper was certified already, but this was her first trip to a coral reef and she was excited to see everything. They boarded a small charter boat early that morning and set off for the dive site. When they arrived, Piper was amazed at how clear the water was. She could actually see the reef below. Alex teased her about her diving suit fitting so well. Piper laughed and playfully told her that she could help her out of it later._

 _The boat captain helped them prepare the oxygen tanks and made sure everything was working correctly. Then he told them both to sit on the edge of the boat rail and lean backwards when they were ready to dive in. The instant they were in the water, it was magical. Fish and corals of every color, shape, and size were right before their eyes. Piper had never seen such a beautiful display of natural sea life. She was amazed. She pointed out things to Alex, and Alex was enjoying watching Piper more than she was enjoying watching the fish. She had never seen Piper look so excited, and she was so pleased that she got to experience this with her._

 _After a while, they both started to run low on oxygen, so they swam back up towards the boat. When they surfaced, they were surprised to discover that they had been diving for about an hour already. They decided to grab another tank and grab the underwater camera they had brought. This time they dived on the opposite side of the reef and spent a lot of time taking pictures of the fish and corals, and of each other making funny faces and gestures._

 _They surfaced again after another hour and decided to stay on the boat. They went below deck, and Alex really did help Piper out of her diving suit. They both put on the bikinis they had brought along. The captain took them to a private island near the dive site. He stayed aboard ship, and Alex told him they would stay on the island a few hours. Alex had brought a picnic lunch and some wine for them. During lunch, Piper kept talking about all the different colors of the fish and how she had especially liked this one very beautiful blue and yellow fish. She hoped she got a good picture of it because she wanted to find out what kind of fish it actually was. She thanked Alex over and over for arranging this trip._

 _After lunch, they took their beach towels and headed over to the other side of the island. It was gorgeous here. The water was crystal clear and the beach was clean with white sand and tall palm trees for shade. The best part was they were completely alone here. Piper felt really relaxed from the wine as she sat down on her towel. Alex sat down behind her and put her legs on either side of her. Piper leaned back into her and Alex kissed her softly on the neck. Piper smelled like coconut and honey. Alex was always instantly turned on by the way Piper smelled. As she kissed her neck she slowly untied Piper's bikini top. Piper moaned a little, then turned around to face Alex. Her long legs were now straddling Alex as she sat in her lap. She looked at Alex with lust in her eyes, and pushed back her raven hair and kissed her passionately, breathing through her. Alex lifted her some and swiftly removed her bottoms and then completely removed her top. Piper sat completely naked on top of Alex as she started to grind while they kissed. Alex moved her mouth down Piper's neck and chest and then onto her perfectly erect nipple. She sucked it hard and Piper thought she may come right then and there, but Alex backed off and left Piper begging for more. Frustrated, Piper tried to undo Alex's bikini top but was having no luck, so she settled for pushing the bikini down to release Alex's beautiful, full breasts. Once they were freed, she wasted no time grabbing them and sucking them. Alex was so turned on by Piper's aggressiveness, she pulled her head up from her chest and kissed Piper hard. As they kissed, she slammed two fingers into Piper and started to pump hard, her thumb touching that extra sensitive nub just right. Piper moaned at the sensation and threw her head back. It felt so good when Alex was inside her, and she wanted to return the favor. She reached down, turned her palm upwards and plunged into Alex's bottoms. Alex was so wet and she started to moan and grind into Piper's hand. They both continued driving each other crazy until they were both panting and screaming their release._

 _They laid there, breathless on their beach towels with huge smiles. Alex lay on her stomach looking at Piper who was facing her but lying on her side. Piper started running her finger over Alex's salt shaker tattoo and was curious. "Alex, what is the meaning of this salt shaker tattoo?"_

 _Alex laughed a little, "That was actually my first tattoo ever, and there is a very interesting story about it. I had just started working with Fahri and we were in Prague at some hotel restaurant just sitting around bullshitting while I was recruiting some girls. We had way too much to drink and Fahri started talking about trust—how he needed to know if we could really trust one another in our business relationship. All of a sudden I knocked over this salt shaker on the table and Fahri freaked out. He said a spilled salt shaker represented treachery and lies and was supposedly bad luck. He said to get rid of the bad luck, I had to throw the salt shaker over my left shoulder. I told him he was full of shit and started to get up to leave. We went back up to our rooms and Fahri said that I still needed to prove to him that I could be trusted. I didn't know what he had in mind, but I played along. He said if I really trusted him, I would let him tattoo me. I thought this was easy enough, as long as he didn't put the tattoo on my face or anything. One of the guys with us had a tattoo gun, so he got it all inked up and ready for Fahri. He told me to take my shirt off and lie face down on the sofa. I did as I was told and he sat down beside me and started tattooing. It hurt like hell and I had no idea what the fuck I was going to end up with. I must have passed out afterwards, and when I awoke the next morning I looked in the mirror and there was a fucking salt shaker over my left shoulder."_

 _"Holy shit, Alex! I can't believe you let him do that to you._

 _"I felt like I had to because I needed Fahri to know that I trusted him so that he would also trust me. Plus I had way too much to drink so that made the decision easier. And it worked. Fahri and I have a great working relationship and we trust each other. That's very important in my line of work, kid. You gotta be able to trust someone."_

 _They finally got redressed again and went for a swim in the crystal clear water. It was lovely here and neither wanted to leave, but Alex had a meeting that afternoon back in town so reluctantly they packed up to leave. On the boat ride back, Piper kept thinking about what Alex said about having someone to trust. Piper never really had anyone like that. Her parents were awful, her father was an adulterer and her mother wanted to live in denial. But Piper felt that if she could trust anyone, it was Alex. Alex was different. She could have lied to her about what she did for a living, but she was honest about it from the beginning. For the first time ever, Piper felt like she had found someone that she could really trust and she wanted to prove it. "Alex, when we get back into town and after your meeting, I want you to pick out a tattoo for me. I don't want to know what it is because I want you to know that I trust you. I've never really had anyone that I trust one hundred percent, but I trust you."_

 _Alex was shocked, but so happy at the same time. "Are you sure, Piper? This is a big deal, and it's something you would have on your body for the rest of your life. Are you sure you're ready to commit to something so permanent?"_

 _"As long as it isn't anything too crazy or too big, and let's put it someplace that I could conceal it, but also someplace that I could show it off if I wanted."_

 _Alex had the perfect idea. "Agreed."_

 _Later that evening they entered a local tattoo parlor and Alex went over to talk to one of the artists. She described what she wanted and made sure he knew not to let Piper know what the design was until they were all finished. He asked Piper to lie face down on his table and to tie her hair into a bun. He began by rubbing alcohol all over the back of neck and then he shaved the area clean. Next, he placed what felt like a stencil onto her neck and pulled it back off. He asked her if she was ready, and she looked over to Alex for reassurance. Alex came over and grabbed onto her hand and Piper told him she was ready._

 _It felt like bees stinging relentlessly over and over, but it also kind of felt good. Alex held her hand the whole time and laughed at her when she made funny high pitched squeals from the pain. Piper wondered what it would look like when he was done, and Alex kept telling her that it was a pepper shaker. Piper hoped she was joking, but didn't really care if it was because then they would have similar weird tattoos. After an hour or so, the tattoo artist said he was done. He handed Piper a mirror and turned her back to the wall length mirror behind her. She kept her eyes on Alex as she stood up, and when she looked into the mirror, she smiled. On the back of her neck was a small, but beautiful, yellow and blue fish. Just like the fish she had seen earlier that morning that she thought was so beautiful._

 _"You like?" Alex asked with a smirk._

 _"Like it… I fucking love it! It's perfect, Alex."_

 _"It's a Queen Triggerfish. I showed the boat captain the picture of it and that's what he said it was. You're my little queen now." Alex said as she gently kissed her._

 _"Thank you, Alex. Thank you so much, and thank you for not making it a pepper shaker."_

 _Alex laughed, "We'll get the pepper shaker next time, let's get out of here."_

Piper smiled at the happy memory of them in their younger days. They were so happy then and so in love. All she could think about now was how much she wanted to run and show Alex her new infinity tattoo, but she knew she had fucked things up. Alex had dumped her because she was being a manipulative asshole. She was beginning to believe that she was a manipulative asshole. She basically ruined Alex's chance at moving on and starting a new life. She got her back in here, asked her to be her girlfriend, then got carried away with Stella when Alex wasn't available. Yes, Piper knew she was the asshole, but all she wanted right now was Alex. She had to make things right, and she hoped it wasn't too late for them. She got to her feet and headed towards the chapel door and outside. When she stepped outside it was eerie—no one was around. The guards were gone, the other inmates were gone and there was a huge section of fencing that was missing.

Piper stared out in disbelief, "What the fuck?"


	3. Chapter 3 Tastes Like Vegemite

Chapter 3

Tastes Like Vegemite

Alex was still shaking from her encounter with Aydin. She managed to finish sweeping up the floor and was waiting for the guard to come back. She replayed the conversation with Aydin over and over in her head. She was trying to formulate some kind of plan. What was she going to do? Was she really going to sell drugs for them? Kubra's capable of almost anything. He could still kill her, or he could be setting her up to take a bigger fall and get her sent to Max with additional years to her already lengthy sentence.

Selling drugs again also scared Alex for other reasons. She wanted to be a better person and didn't want to go back to doing illegal shit when she got out of prison. She had this vision of herself becoming a "normal" person like someone who works a 9 to 5 job and shops at farmer's markets on the weekends. Someone that was free from the worry and stress of being a drug importer. She knew if she started this up again, that she'd never be free of Kubra. However, she knew as much as she hated the thought of getting in this again, she knew she had to protect Piper. Piper, the love of her life. Piper, the one who left her when her mom died. Piper, the one who chose Larry over her. Piper, the one who got her thrown back into prison. Piper, the cheater.

A few nights ago after Red's dinner, Alex had stayed back to help Red clear away all of the dishes. Red pulled her aside and told her that she had heard about her calling it quits with "Blondie" and wanted to know if it was because Piper was fucking around with that Stella chick. Red explained how she caught the two of them kissing in their cube. Alex had suspected something was going on, but she wanted to believe it was part of her paranoia. Even when she had asked Piper straight up about it, she still had a feeling Piper was lying when she told her she had nothing to worry about. Red pretty much confirmed that.

"Piper, you fucking bitch," Alex muttered under her breath.

Alex pulled her mind away from those thoughts and back to reality. It seemed like the guard had been gone forever, so she hesitantly opened the greenhouse doors and peeked outside. She didn't see the guard or any prisoners. She thought that was strange so she stepped outside the greenhouse looking all around for Aydin to jump out and kill her at any moment, but he wasn't around either. No one was around. When she looked toward the fence, she noticed a huge section was missing and started to walk towards it.

"Alex!" Piper called out.

Alex turned to see Piper coming towards her with a look of confusion on her face.

"Piper, what the fuck…?"

"I don't know, I was inside and when I stepped out everyone was gone and the fence is wide open."

The alarms started to sound and they both assumed the position lying face down, facing each other. "Al, I need to talk to you."

"Not now, Piper. I have too much other shit going on right now to deal with your drama."

"Alex, please, just let me explain."

"What, explain what, Piper? How good that Justin Bieber-Aussie tastes? Let me guess, she tastes like Vegemite?"

"No, what? No—what are you talking about?"

"Don't try to deny it, Piper. I know you're fucking her and have been since before we broke up."

"That's not true. If you would just listen to me and give me an opportunity to explain."

"No, I'm done with your web of lies. You keep spinning them for the next sucker. I'm so over it, Piper."

"Well, maybe if you hadn't been so paranoid and so emotionally unavailable maybe I wouldn't have. I know I fucked up, I know that. I know that I'm a manipulative cunt who is slowly becoming my mother, but you played a part in this too, Alex. You were crazy… running around here thinking everyone was out to get you. Even me. You seriously thought I might be here to take you out. I mean, really, Alex, you were becoming this whiny, little, paranoid… bitch."

"And, once again, that wasn't hot for you, was it Piper? You know, I'm more than just this 'badass drug smuggling lesbian you fell in love with'. I'm not always strong, I have weaknesses. I testified against a West African drug lord in open court and it's not that far-fetched to think that he would do everything in his power to kill me for it. So fucking forgive me for being paranoid."

"I do forgive you, Alex. I told you that when you came to my bunk that morning."

"Yeah, and then you lied to me about having anything to worry about with Stella."

Piper thought back to that conversation that morning in her bunk. Alex had come to confess that she had beat up a crazy person because of her paranoia. She seemed so vulnerable at that moment and Piper remembered the twinge of guilt she felt about Stella, but she couldn't tell Alex. Alex needed her to tell her nothing was going on, and that's what she did. She lied.

"Well, now you really don't have anything to worry about because I got her sent to Max earlier today."

Alex scoffed, "I don't really care, Piper. I'm sure she fucked you over somehow and you did that as revenge. Part of your Panty Godfather plan, huh?"

"Fuck you, Alex."

"No, thanks."

Piper lay there, frustrated and couldn't get the right words to come out. "I'm sorry, Alex. I don't know what else to say except that I'm sorry. And I hope you can forgive me. Like I forgave you for being so unnecessarily paranoid."

Alex just lay there and fumed. She turned her head so she didn't have to look at Piper. Here Piper was accusing her of being a paranoid little bitch and she had just had a run in with Kubra's hitman not 30 minutes ago. She started to cry, although she made certain Piper didn't know she was crying.

"I came out here to show you something," Piper said quietly.

"You have nothing I want to see, Piper. Just leave me the fuck alone."

"Okay, fine," Piper choked out before her own tears started to spill down her face.

A/N – Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this quick little chapter. Please review, I appreciate the feedback and welcome any suggestions. Peace – J.


	4. Chapter 4 Barracks & Orangies

Chapter 4

Barracks & Orangies

Chaos. That's the only word that can describe what is happening right now at Litchfield. After the alarms finally stopped sounding, Alex and Piper stood up and joined some other prisoners that were huddled over by the garden. Lolly ran up to Alex, "Did you see what just happened?"

"No, what happened, Whitehill?" Alex asked.

"Some of those crazy ass women took off through the hole in the fence and were jumping and splashing around in the lake over there. It was probably thirty or forty women out there," Lolly said excitedly.

"Really?" Piper asked. "Did they round everybody back up? Where are the guards?"

Lolly was really animated by this time as she started to describe what she had seen. "That's the weird thing, none of the regular guards were anywhere around. Just these newbies and they had no clue what to do. You should have seen it, the baby faced guard took off running to get Caputo and when Caputo got out here, you could almost see the smoke coming out of his ears. He started yelling at some other guards to get down to the lake and get the inmates back into the yard. It took them about an hour to get everybody back in, and then Caputo told the guards to take them all straight to the SHU."

"All of them are going to the SHU? That's crazy, there are probably not enough cells down there for that many people," Piper observed.

"You think that's crazy, just wait until you go into the dorms," Lolly teased.

"What's going on in the dorms?" Alex asked.

"You'll see. I gotta run. Bye," Lolly said as she took off running leaving Alex and Piper standing there.

Piper looked at Alex, and for a moment she had forgotten that Alex was still mad at her, but then it all came crashing back into reality as Alex turned her gaze from Piper and walked away.

Alex entered the dorm area and the first thing she noticed was that all of the beds had been replaced with bunk beds. Each cube now had four beds instead of two. She walked over to her cube and sat down on the bottom bunk. She put her head in her heads and just closed her eyes. The memories of her run in with Aydin were still vividly etched in her mind, and she was trying to think of ways to somehow get out of doing this. Then she started to hear voices and the shuffling of feet. She looked up and saw nothing but orange. Women in orange jumpsuits were everywhere. The guards were assigning them to their bunks. Alex figured this was all part of MCC's corporate strategy to fit as many prisoners in one prison as possible.

The guards stopped at Alex's cube and called out an inmate's name and she moved in to the bottom bunk across from Alex. Then the guard called out another inmate's name and told them to take the top bunk above Alex. This inmate's name had a familiar ring to it. Nichols. Alex thought how ironic that she would get stuck with another Nichols. The inmate shuffled forward through the crowd and Alex heard a familiar East coast accent, "Hey, Vause… never really figured you for a bottom," the girl quipped.

Alex smiled in disbelief, "Nicky… what the hell? How are you back here?" She stood, and gave Nicky a tender hug. She was really happy to see her. She didn't have a lot of friends in here, but she definitely considered Nicky to be a friend.

"Okay, Vause, you can let go now. You know how I don't like it when you get all soft on me," Nicky said.

Alex laughed and let her go. "No, really, tell me how you're here. What happened?"

Nicky began, "I'm not really sure. One minute I'm down at Max, and the next thing I know there's a guard bringing me an orange jumpsuit and telling me to pack up my things. He told me I was being transferred back up the hill. I didn't ask a lot of questions because I really wanted to get the fuck out there, you know."

"Yeah, I'm sure this place is like spa compared to being down there, huh?"

"You have no idea, Vause. What the fuck is going on here? I mean, why are the cubes now barracks? I came in with two other busloads of orangies. That's gotta be at least 100 or more new inmates. Why are they cramming all of these women in here?" Nicky asked.

"Well, since you've been down the hill a lot of shit has happened here. The prison was set to be closed, but then this corporation called MCC bought it and kept it open, but they've made tons of changes. New guards, new jobs, new food… if you can call it that. Red is back in the kitchen, but she'll let you know very quickly that she has nothing to do with the food," Alex smirked.

"Where's Lorna? Where's Chapman? You two were having lots of hate sex and giving each other hickeys before I got sent down the hill. Everything still okay with you two love birds?"

"Not really, but I don't want to talk about that right now. You need to find Morello and talk to her. She really lost it when you left. She just hasn't been the same."

"Shit, Vause. I really screwed up. I should have never touched that heroin. I mean I know what a junky I am for it, and I really, really wanted to do it so bad. I should have never trusted Luschek with it either. I'm going to make sure that fucker pays. That shit may have cost me my relationships with two of the most important people in my life."

Alex knew Nicky was sad and she didn't want to make her talk about it anymore if she didn't want to. So they just sat looking at all of the new faces that were busy unpacking their meager belongings into their new cubes. No one was familiar. These women looked hardened. They looked as if they had been in the system for way too long. After a while, Nicky said she was going to go look for Lorna, and Alex decided she would go take a shower before dinner.

Piper made her way back to the dorms. She had already heard some chatter about the new bunks and she had seen several of the new inmates. She went straight to her cube to make sure all of her belongings were still there, and luckily they were. She looked over to Alex's cube to see if she could still see signs of Alex there. At first she was worried because all of Alex's toiletries were missing, but then she saw the Quran was lying on her bed. She guessed Alex must be in the shower right now. She started to reminisce about all of their fun times in various different showers, and she kicked back on her bed and closed her eyes and got lost in those memories.

 _They were at the Four Seasons in Seychelles. They had spent last night and part of this morning at a club in the heart of Mahe Island. Piper had way too much to drink and she was all over Alex on the dance floor. Alex had been drinking as well, but she was much better at holding her liquor than Piper, plus Alex was working too so she had to be in control of her actions._

 _While Alex and Piper were dancing, Alex noticed this naïve looking brunette at the bar. Alex whispered to Piper that she needed to work for a few minutes and kissed Piper thoroughly on the lips. Piper continued dancing with one of their friends while Alex went to work on this girl. Piper finished off another margarita and looked over to the bar to find Alex. She saw Alex flirting with this brunette girl and rubbing her hand up and down her back. Usually Piper was okay with this because she knew Alex was just doing her job, but whether it was the alcohol or something else, this time Piper was jealous. Jealous and pissed._

 _She walked over to the bar and butted right in between Alex and the girl. She had her back to the brunette and was totally in Alex's face. "Fuck you, Alex. I'm getting a cab, you know where to find me," she slurred._

 _Alex was stunned and maybe a little turned on at the same time. She had never seen jealous Piper before. It was kind of hot. She apologized to the brunette and finished sealing the deal with her to carry the shipment the next day. She paid for the girl's tab, and then headed for the hotel. As she came towards their room, she noticed Piper's clothes were all out in the hallway like she had just drunkenly stripped them off and left them. Alex smirked, knowing that she would soon find a naked, drunk, and jealous Piper._

 _Piper was in the shower trying to sober up. She was crying and didn't know why. She just knew she was pissed at Alex for touching that other girl. Alex was hers and she didn't want to share her with anyone else. Even if it was Alex's job to recruit women, she didn't need to be so flirty with them. She stuck her head under the warm water and let it wash away her tears._

 _The next moment she felt someone slide in behind her and start to kiss down her neck. Alex._ God, this woman, _she thought as her eyes rolled back._

 _Alex turned Piper around so that they were facing each other. "What's wrong, Piper? Why did you act out like that at the club?"_

 _"I don't know, Alex. I didn't like seeing you touching that other girl. It made me feel… jealous and I've never really been a jealous person. I guess I've never really cared about anyone else the way I feel about you. Plus, I'm like really super drunk."_

 _Alex laughed a little at Piper. She knew she was totally ripped and probably wouldn't remember this conversation in the morning, but she was reveling in Piper's drunken honesty._ She really does love me, _she thought._

 _"Piper, listen, you know what I do for a living, right? You know that my flirting with other girls is nothing more than an act. It's part of my job to seduce these women. I can't imagine how hard that must be for you to see, because I sure as fuck wouldn't like it if you were the one flirting with someone else. But I promise you, Piper, the only woman I want to be with is you. None of those other girls matter at all to me, but you do. You're everything to me, Pipes."_

 _"Did you just call me Pipes?"_

 _Alex smirked, "Yeah, is that okay?"_

 _"Hmmmm, I like it. I like the way it sounds coming off your lips," Piper slurred out and stumbled a little towards Alex. She reached up and grabbed a handful of Alex's hair and pulled her in close. She kissed Alex passionately, her tongue slipping in and out of her mouth, tasting and biting at her lips. She was starting to get lost in the kiss, but then she started feeling dizzy and almost collapsed._

 _"Whoa, kid. I got you. Maybe you should let me finish showering you, and I can help you to bed before you pass out."_

 _"I think that's a great idea," Piper said, smiling._

"Hello, hello, hello… are you alive?" Piper heard someone say.

 _Nooooo, I don't want to wake up from this dream,_ she thought.

She opened her eyes and standing over her was a red haired older lady, but it wasn't Red. "Who are you?" Piper asked.

"Who am I? Why, I'm Judy King, honey. Have you never heard of me?" she drawled.

"Oh, yeah, right," Piper said, sitting up, "you're the latest version of Martha Stewart."

"Martha Stewart can suck my dick, honey. I'm much more than she could ever be. Anyway, I guess I'm in the bunk above you. What's your name, blondie, and what are you in for?"

"I'm Chapman, and I carried a suitcase full of drug money, once. Ten years ago."

"You've been in here for ten years because you carried a suitcase full of drug money once? Well, holy fuck! You should have gotten a better lawyer, honey."

"No, I carried the money ten years ago, it just recently caught up to me," Piper said.

"Well, that's a shame, honey, but it happens to the best of us. Do you mind if I use some of this space on this cabinet, and can I use some of those hangers?"

"Yeah, if you'll excuse me," Piper said as she quickly exited her cube.

Piper had to get away from that woman. She was loud and too talkative, and worse, she had interrupted Piper's nice little dream about Alex. Piper didn't know where she was going, but she just needed to think. The cafeteria was full of orange jumpsuits, so she kept walking. Before she knew what she was doing, she was in the bathroom. It was quiet in there, but she could hear the water running in one of the showers.

She went behind the wall where the showers were and found the stalls empty except the last one. She knew who was in there. She walked over quietly, and stood outside the shower stall. She knew she shouldn't do it, but she couldn't stop herself. She pulled the curtain back and there stood Alex, and she was naked and wet and fucking glorious. Piper didn't wait for Alex to say anything; she stepped in the shower, completely clothed, closed the curtain behind her, and then pushed Alex against the wall and kissed her.

A/N – So, will Alex reject Piper, or will she give in once again? Thanks for the reviews. Please keep them coming! I appreciate your thoughts. Thanks! - J


	5. Chapter 5 A Little Shy

Chapter 5

A Little Shy

Alex had been standing under the lukewarm water in the shower now for at least ten minutes just thinking about her current predicament. She had come to the conclusion that the only choice she had with Kubra was to do exactly what he wanted. She didn't see any other way around it. If she refused to work with him, then he would surely kill her and Piper. So she accepted her fate. She would work with Aydin and Kubra selling drugs in prison, and hopefully not get caught or killed. She was hoping that this would buy her time to come up with some way out of this, but for now she was stuck and she just had to play along. She would start recruiting some girls that could sell for her. It might be easier now with the influx of new inmates that just arrived. The hard part would be finding girls that she could trust. She didn't want to get Nicky involved, even though she knew she could trust her. Nicky was a junkie and she couldn't do that to her. It wouldn't be as easy in here convincing girls to work for her, but she was confident that she could do it. This was her profession, after all, and she used to be pretty fucking brilliant at it.

Just then she heard the shower curtain open, she turned around quickly ready to punch someone, but before she could react, she was being pushed against the wall and kissed hard. Piper. God she tasted good, like strawberry lip gloss. Alex loved kissing Piper more than she loved breathing. She always had. She secretly loved it too when Piper was the aggressor. For so much of their relationship, Alex was always the aggressor. Piper was just this sweet little innocent girl that was maybe even a little shy. That's why Alex was so surprised that first time when Piper dragged her into that chapel and fucked her. She kind of liked Piper being the aggressor, it was quite a turn on.

Piper continued kissing Alex, her hands moving down her naked body, touching her in all the right spots. Alex could feel herself getting more and more aroused, her nipples reacting to Piper's touch. Alex started kissing Piper back just as hard. Piper was breathing heavy and starting to moan a little. "Alex, please, please forgive me," Piper breathed as she continued kissing Alex.

This brought Alex back to reality, and she pushed Piper back. "Piper, stop it. We can't do this. You can't just come in here and start kissing me and think that everything is going to be fine now as long as you ask for forgiveness. It's not okay. I can't forgive you right now. Fuck, just earlier today you were with someone else, and now that she's gone you think you can just come running back to me. I'm not your fucking binky, Piper!"

Alex shut off the water, grabbed her towel and wrapped it around herself and stepped out of the shower stall. Piper stood starring at her in disbelief. "Look Alex, I know I fucked up, but can you at least hear me out? I made a huge mistake with Stella. I should have never trusted her, but I just felt so alone at times. You were being all paranoid and I just couldn't deal with it, and instead of doing the right thing and talking to you about it, I did what I always do. I ran from the problem and turned to someone else instead."

"Yeah, you did, Piper, but that's just how you operate. I've said it many times before—you do whatever you want to do in order to make yourself feel better. Well, guess what? I'm sick of it. I'm tired of being your little puppet. We break up, we get back together, you do something stupid, I do something stupid, we break up again, we get lonely, we have sex, we get back together again… it's an endless cycle of shit, Pipes, and I don't think I can do it anymore. I mean, fuck, we both got each other thrown into prison. This is not what people in love with each other do, Piper. When you asked me to be your girlfriend, I really wanted it to work this time. I tried so hard Piper, but I'm sorry that _my_ paranoia got in the way of that. I'm sorry that _my_ vulnerabilities were not a turn on for you, and I'm sorry that you didn't think you could come to me and tell me that. But most of all, I'm sorry that _you_ turned into some ruthless, cutthroat person that cares more about making money than hurting people. I mean what happened to that sweet, innocent, shy Piper Chapman that I fell in love with so long ago?" Alex asked, wiping tears from her cheeks.

Piper stepped out of the shower stall and moved towards Alex. Her clothes and hair were dripping wet. Alex's words hit her hard. How could she have ever hurt this woman? "Alex, I'm so sorry I never meant to hurt you. I just got caught up in my business and with Stella… I just needed someone and I wasn't a good girlfriend at all. I know I'm a fuck up, but I really do love you, Alex. Please forgive me."

"I can't now, Piper. Too much has been said and done. I need some time to process all of this. And you need to be on your own for a while. You have some shit that you need to figure out." Alex stepped closer to Piper, and pushed her wet hair out of her eyes. "I love you, Piper, but I can't be with you right now. I'm tired of being hurt by you, and I would rather end things right now and still love you, than stay with you and end up hating you."

They heard someone else enter the bathrooms and backed away from each other, wiping their faces. A new guard stepped around the corner and saw them. "What's going on here? Inmate, were you in the lake? I need to take you down to the SHU immediately."

"No, I wasn't at the lake," Piper said defensively.

"Then why are your clothes all wet, inmate?" the guard asked.

"I was in the shower," Piper said. The guard was speechless for a second.

"Yeah, she was in the shower. I was just asking her why she took a shower with her clothes on. I guess she's a little shy," Alex said coolly as she walked past the guard.

A/N – A short little chapter, but I thought it was necessary to bring some closure to their break up. Thanks for the reviews, and thanks for reading. I love hearing your thoughts and suggestions. - J


	6. Chapter 6 Another New Bunkmate

Chapter 6

Another New Bunkmate

Alex got dressed and started down the halls towards her dorm. She still couldn't believe how surreal things were around here. So many new inmates, so many new guards that looked like they had no clue what was going on, and so many of the regular faces that she had become accustomed to seeing everyday were now locked up in SHU. She briefly saw Caputo running up the hallway yelling at some officers. He looked like he was in way over his head. Things were definitely weird around here and she didn't like this vibe she was feeling. She returned to her cube and found Nicky there pacing back and forth and looking rather distraught. Her faced was streaked with tears and she was mumbling to herself while running her hands through her tangled, curly hair.

"Nicky, what's wrong?" Alex asked.

She looked up and saw Alex, and she just had to let it all out. "I just ran into Lorna and you know what… she got fucking married, Vause. Married. To some random guy she met that was writing her letters. I can't believe this. I'm gone for a few months, and she decides to just go nuts and marry someone she hardly knows. What the fuck, man? I thought she really loved me. I mean we had been having a good time together before I got sent down the hill. I really thought we were gonna be something." Nicky slumped down onto the empty bottom bunk across from Alex. "I guess she just couldn't wait for me."

She looked lost, and Alex really felt sorry for her. She knew how it felt to have someone you care about betray you in such a way. Alex sat down on her bunk, directly facing Nicky. "I can't believe she got married. I knew she was talking to these random guys, but she said it was just for commissary money. I didn't know she had gotten serious with somebody. Wow, Nicky… I'm sorry. I know how you felt about her."

Nicky wiped her eyes and tried to put on a brave face. "Fuck her. I hope she's happy with her loser husband because you know that's all she's ever wanted anyway. A happy fucking marriage to a guy. I'm done with her," she said as she looked around at all the new faces in the dorm. "Looks like I have plenty of new prospects around here anyway," she smirked.

Alex could tell she was still hurting, but it was just like Nicky to notice all of the new girls. This made Alex laugh a little. "Well, Nichols, if it makes you feel any better I'm also flying solo."

"Yeah? What happened with you and Chapman anyway? Before I got sent down the hill, Lorna told me all about the drama session where Piper admitted to getting you back into prison. That's pretty fucked up, and you got back with her after that?"

"Well, it's a long story, but yes, she had a friend call my parole officer and told him I was about to skip town. He knocked on my door, I thought it was my old drug boss trying to kill me, so I grabbed my gun and he caught me with it. When I first got back here, I was so broken. I couldn't figure out how I had ended up back in here, and after a few days of lying about it, Piper finally confessed. She said she did it to protect me, but whatever. You know Piper, she just does whatever she wants and as long as she feels better, who cares, right?"

"Whoa, I can't believe she did that to you. That's harsh, Vause. But were you really in danger? You said you thought your old drug boss was trying to kill you."

"Yeah, and that's another really long story and one of the reasons Piper and I broke up again," Alex said as she looked over her shoulder to make sure no one else was listening. "I was being paranoid, and I kept thinking everyone was sent here to kill me. I even beat up some crazy person because I thought she was going to kill me in the bathroom."

"Holy shit, did you get sent to the SHU?" Nicky asked.

"No, I told her I was working for the CIA and she seems to have bought that."

Nicky had a huge grin on her face, "CIA? Wow, I gotta hear more about this crazy chick. Who is she? I need to make sure I fuck with her."

"Her name is Lolly, and I'm sure you'll run into her soon enough. Just don't blow my cover with her," Alex winked.

"What was the other reason you and Piper broke up?" Nicky asked.

"Okay, so this new corporation, MCC, that bought the prison introduced a new job that we all had to take this crazy test to see if we got accepted. It was going to pay a buck an hour so of course everyone was trying their best on this test. Well, you know Piper, of course she made it. The job was sewing women's lingerie for this other company called Whispers. Piper figured out a way to cut an extra pair of panties from each piece of fabric, so she would make the extra pair and sneak them out each day."

"So she was sneaking out sexy panties every day? Was she selling them to other inmates or what?" Nicky asked.

"No, better. She came to me with an idea to have girls wear the panties for a day or two, and then we would get someone to smuggle the dirty undies out to her brother and he was selling them online for like $80 a pop."

"You clever fucking bitches. That's genius! And I'm sure those babies were selling like hotcakes since they were worn by female inmates, right?"

"Yes, they were selling so well that Flaca and some of the other girls confronted Piper about paying them more money because at the time Piper was just trading them Ramen flavor packets."

"What the fuck?" Nicky was confused.

"Oh, remember… I told you about how the food was in the kitchen now. It sucks, so everyone was using the flavor packets to disguise the nastiness of the food."

"Good plan," Nicky conceded.

"Anyway, Piper offered to pay them using Green Dot cards, but because Flaca had started the whole campaign for more money, Piper fired Flaca. You know Flaca's poor, and Piper was on some power trip and when she told me what she did… I had had enough. I didn't like this new Piper. She was becoming ruthless and cold, and she didn't care who she hurt in the process," Alex choked up a little.

"Damn, sounds like she's becoming quite the little criminal."

"Yeah, and quite the little cheater too. She met this Stella chick while working and I guess since I was too busy fearing for my life, she got close to her and I think she was Piper's new partner after I bailed. But something happened… I'm not sure what, but this Stella chick must have fucked Piper over because Piper got her sent down to Max just this morning. She only had like two days before she got out too."

"Serves her right for cheating on you. What's wrong with these women? Can't they see what a good thing they had in us?" Nicky smiled. "Where's Red, I really need to talk to her."

"I'm not sure, she may have gotten taken down to the SHU with the other girls that were in the lake."

"Okay, I really have been gone too long. What fucking lake?" Nicky asked.

"The lake outside the fence. I'm not sure what happened, but when I got done in the greenhouse, I looked outside and everyone was gone and the fence was wide open. Lolly told us later that a bunch of girls had gone through the fence and were swimming in the lake. Caputo told the guards to take everyone that was in the lake to the SHU."

"Wow, this is crazy!" Nicky stood up from the bunk, "I'm going to go look around and see what I can find out. I'll catch ya later, Vause."

"Try not to get into any trouble, Nichols."

Piper somberly walked down the hallway from the bathrooms, clothes still damp from the shower. She had finally managed to convince the new guard that she wasn't in the lake. He let her go after receiving a call on his radio that he was needed in the kitchen ASAP. She felt defeated, lost, lonely, sad—pretty much every melancholy emotion possible. She regretted so much at the moment, but mostly she just regretted hurting Alex. As per usual though, she decided to push those feelings down deep and pretend they didn't exist. She had to go on with her life—a life without Alex.

When she reached her cube, she was expecting to see that mouthy southerner, but instead of red hair, she saw a blond with a messy ponytail sitting in the bunk across from her. She wasn't familiar and she was wearing orange. _Great,_ Piper thought, _another new bunkmate_.

Piper stepped into their cube cautiously and awkwardly said, "Hi, I'm Chapman, your neighbor across the floor." Piper noticed the girl was actually very attractive. She was probably her age, maybe a little older. She was lean, but had shapely, muscular arms. Her skin was smooth and tan, her eyes were green, and she had a lovely mouth. Piper always noticed people's mouths. She couldn't tell because she was sitting down, but she seemed to be tall too. And when she opened her mouth to speak, she flashed a beautiful set of perfect white teeth.

"Nice to meet you, Chapman. I'm Banks. Are you new here too?" she asked.

"No, I've actually been here a while now. Is this your first time in prison?" Piper asked.

"I wish, this is my third time around. It is my first time here though."

"Wow, really? You don't seem… you don't look like the hardcore prisoner type. You're not all tatted up, and you look like you probably shopped at Whole Foods and bought your clothes at the Gap or something," Piper mused.

"Oh, so you mean I look just like you? What did you do, Chapman, to get in here?" the green eyed girl asked.

Piper sighed, "I guess we both do have that WASPy look about us. My story is simple, I carried a suitcase full of drug money once because my lover asked me to do it, and I knew it was wrong and dangerous and I didn't really want to do it, but I loved her and I would have done anything for her."

"Women, huh? They'll fuck you up every time. Believe me, I've had my share of heartache from them, but damn, it was all worth it," she said smiling.

"Yeah?" Piper asked curiously.

"Yeah, for sure."

"So, why are you in here, Banks? Oh my God! I just noticed your badge. Your first name is Steely? Steely Banks? Are you a bank robber? Please tell me you're a bank robber," Piper said.

"Shut up, my parents really liked Steely Dan, okay?" the girl said while looking closely at Piper's badge. "You're fucking first name is Piper? And I'm not a bank robber. Not technically anyway."

"What does not technically a bank robber mean?" Piper asked.

"I'm a hacker. I've helped other people rob banks, museums, jewelers, foreign governments… you know, that sort of thing."

"You're a hacker… okay that makes sense. You kind of have that nerdy smart girl look about you too."

"As opposed to the tatted up hardcore prisoner look, right?" the girl asked Piper playfully.

"Right," Piper said.

"Hey, Chapman, check this out," the girl said, while pulling off her socks. She revealed a small flower tattoo on top of her right foot. Then she turned her leg a bit and Piper noticed she had a small koi fish above her ankle.

"What!? I have a fish tattoo also," Piper said as she turned around and pulled up her hair for the girl to see.

"Well, fuck a duck, are you two twins or something?" a southern voice drawled out.

Piper turned to see Judy King standing in the threshold of their cubicle. Her voice really set Piper on edge, and she wasn't sure why. She just didn't like this woman very much, and now she had to share the cube with her.

The woman introduced herself to Steely, and Piper could tell she wasn't impressed by her either. She was cordial though. She was excitedly telling Piper and Steely that she had just met with Mr. Healy and he had assigned her head of the kitchen staff. He had told her about the inmates that had been sent down to the SHU—that many of them worked in the kitchen so she would need to start immediately.

All Piper could think was _What is Red going to think about this bitch?_

Just then, Piper looked up and noticed Alex walk by on her way out of the dorm. She didn't look at Piper, and that was probably a good thing since Piper was pretty sure she was staring longingly at her the whole time.

"Holy fuck, who is that gorgeous woman? I need an introduction." Steely said while watching Alex walk by.

"That's Alex. I mean Vause. Alex Vause. She's my… she's… she was my girlfriend."

A/N – Once again, thank you all for reading and for the reviews. I hope you'll be patient with me as this story unfolds. I made this chapter a bit longer as I'll be on a much needed vacation next week and may not get to update. Follow me on twitter and I'll follow back – (at sign)jslick_76


	7. Chapter 7 Fuck Jessica Wedge

Chapter 7

Fuck Jessica Wedge

Piper sat talking to Morello at lunch. A few days had passed since the "lake incident" and all of those involved were still in the SHU. Judy King was in charge of the kitchen now and had managed to talk Caputo into letting her use some of the fresh vegetables from the garden to try to improve the taste of the prepackaged food they were serving. She had a crew working for her that was made up of mainly new inmates. Most of them were young, Piper had noticed, and already it seemed as if Judy King was becoming the "Mom" to these girls. Over the past couple of days Piper had barely endured her in presence in their cube. She found her to be crude, narcissistic, and a bit racist. The woman loved to hear herself talk and she didn't care who she offended. Even though Piper didn't really care for her as a person, she still had to admit the woman was a damn good cook. She would never admit that to her, nor would she ever admit that to Red.

Morello had told Piper all about her wedding and how as soon as Vince had gone, she ran into Nicky. She told Piper she still loved Nicky, but now that she was married to Vince she could never be unfaithful to him. Piper listened as best she could but she found herself distracted as she watched Alex walk through the line of the cafeteria. She was talking to Lolly and a couple of new inmates while waiting in line, and Piper was disappointed to see her smiling and talking like nothing was wrong. Piper was not feeling quite as talkative and chipper. She had been quiet the past few days, mostly thinking about Alex and their relationship, but she had also been thinking about how she was going to pick up the broken pieces of Felonious Spunk again. Most of her panty girls were now in the SHU, and above all else she was flat broke thanks to Stella. She had nothing but flavor packets to offer, and Judy King was not helping in that department with her tastier food options.

Piper returned to her bunk after lunch and found Steely there changing out of orange into her khakis. Piper couldn't help but stare a little as she changed. The woman was tall and fit, and she had great collar bones, strong shoulders, and perfectly full breasts. She noticed a couple of circular scars near her abdomen and she wondered if those were from bullet holes.

"See something you like, Chapman?" she joked.

Piper quickly averted her eyes, "Oh, shit, sorry. I was just noticing your… scars."

"Sure you were," she smiled, and quickly changed the subject. "I got my work assignment today. Ground's crew. It's not my dream job, but at least I get to spend time outside. Hey, doesn't your sexy raven haired ex work on the ground's crew?"

This simple little question bothered Piper more than she cared to admit. "Yeah, she does. So?"

Steely laughed, "Look Chapman, I'm not going to make a play for your ex, so you don't have to worry. Jesus, what the fuck is up with you two anyway? I can see the way you look at her. You're clearly not over her."

"It's complicated, and I don't want to talk about it," Piper said.

"Okay, fair enough. I'll find out one way or another anyway, it is prison after all. People like to talk. Hey, maybe I can talk to her and put in a good word for you, Chapman. I can tell her how sad you are and how you cry out her name in your dreams every night."

"No, you don't need to do that. Wait, what? Do I really call out her name while I'm sleeping?" Piper asked.

"Just the first night I was here. I haven't really noticed it since then, but I am a heavy sleeper."

 _Fuck_ , Piper thought, _I hope Alex doesn't hear me_. With Alex's bunk being just a few cubicles away, this was a possibility.

"Gotta get to work, Chapman. See you later," Steely said as she grabbed a Nutri-Grain bar and headed out of the dorms.

* * *

Alex had been busy the past few days chatting up the new inmates trying to get a feel for them. She was looking for a few girls that she could recruit to help her sell Kubra's drugs. She still hadn't seen Aydin again, but she was sure he would show up again very soon. She had narrowed it down to four girls. All of them were first time offenders, all of them were poor, and all of them showed a particular interest in her. This was a little different than recruiting drug mule girls. These girls didn't need to be wealthy world travelers, these girls needed to be almost the exact opposite. They needed to be desperate and easily influenced, but most of all they needed to be low key. They needed to look as innocent as possible in order to fly under the guard's radar.

"Hey Vause, where do you think the toothpick guard is, do you think he got fired? I haven't seen him in days, but I have seen two new guards here just today. A couple of sketchy looking dudes," Lolly said while they were working outside the greenhouse.

Lolly was very paranoid and maybe a little crazy, but she was starting to grow on Alex a little. Sure, she had her moments, but sometimes she could talk about some really interesting things. Alex found herself amazed at the stuff Lolly could talk about. She knew way too much about every little conspiracy theory out there, but Alex could tell she was well educated and she liked to read a lot. Her stories helped pass the time at work and Alex was thankful for the distraction. She was trying her best to be strong, but deep down she really missed Piper. Somehow Piper had become more than just her lover in here, she had also become her best friend, and she missed having her best friend to talk to everyday.

Alex laughed to herself. She thought back to that day she was locked in the dryer and Piper was telling Alex that 'maybe they could be friends again.' Alex had told Piper that they were never friends and that she had loved her and had loved having sex with her. Alex always had this notion when it came to the women she dated that they couldn't be friends _and_ lovers. They could only be one or the other. This was her mother's sage advice. Diane had always said that you should never fuck a friend and you should never be friendly with a lover. Somehow Piper was different though. She never really understood how Piper could have this effect on her. Before she met Piper, she had rules that she followed: She never dated straight girls, she never told girls that she loved them, and she would never let anyone be close enough to her to be both a friend and a lover. But she now realized that Piper _was_ both. Or at least, she had been both. She found herself thinking back to the first time she introduced Piper to her mom.

 _"Alex, I'm so nervous," Piper said as they were driving to Alex's mom's house. She was fidgety and wringing her hands._

 _"Don't be, kid, you have nothing to worry about, my mom is the coolest mom ever," Alex said as she took Piper's hand in hers._

 _"What if she doesn't like me?" Piper asked._

 _"Well, then we're done because my mom has a keen sense about people and if she doesn't like you, then we better just end things right now," Alex said as she laughed at Piper and kissed her knuckles._

 _"Alex! I'm serious. I've never met anyone's parent before. I'm not sure how I should act," Piper said._

 _"Piper, you just need to relax. Just be yourself. My mom is going to love you because I love you. She taught me everything I need to know about relationships and if I love you, then she will too."_

 _They pulled up at Diane Vause's house and parked on the street in front of the house. Alex stepped out of the car and went around to open the door for Piper. Piper stepped out, still nervous as hell, with a look of fright on her face. Alex stood in front of her and put her hands on Piper's shoulders. "Piper, please, everything is going to be fine," she said and she moved both hands to Piper's cheeks and pulled her in for a soft, sweet kiss. "Come on, let's go," she said as she took Piper by the hand and walked towards her mom's front door._

 _They entered the house, and Piper could immediately smell the aroma of something wonderful cooking in the kitchen. It smelled like tomatoes and oregano. The house was small but very well kept and it was filled with pictures of Alex as a kid._

 _"Alex! Oh, my baby girl, how are ya?" asked a pretty brunette with an apron on as she exited the kitchen into the living room, arms open wide._

 _"Mom! I'm fine," Alex said as her mom grabbed her and pulled her into a big bear hug. "Mom, this is Piper, Piper this is my mom, Diane."_

 _"Oh, Piper, I've heard so much about you, hon, come here and give me a hug."_

 _Piper was surprised by a tight hug from Alex's mom, "It's very nice to meet you, Ms. Vause."_

 _"Call me Diane, hon. Please come in, I'm working in the kitchen right now, but make yourselves at home. There's beer in the fridge if you want, and I'll have the spaghetti ready soon. I hope you're both hungry, I've made a ton of it."_

 _Over dinner, they discussed the latest places that Alex had visited. Piper knew that Alex had never told her mom explicitly what she did for a living, but she knew that Alex had to travel a lot for her work and she loved hearing all about the beautiful places that Alex got to visit._

 _"I keep telling Alex that one of these days I'm going to take some time off from the diner and join her on one of her little adventures. Piper, has Alex taken you anywhere yet?" Diane asked._

 _"Um, no, not yet. I'm not sure if I could get the time off from work," Piper said._

 _"You're a fucking waitress, Piper, you can get the time off," Alex said._

 _"Hey, don't knock waitressing, Alex. How do you think I make my living, huh? Not all of us can be fancy world travelers, ya know?" Diane said. "If it wasn't for my terrific people skills, you wouldn't be the woman you are today. Piper, did Alex ever tell you about the time she threw her shoes out the window of our car because some stupid girl said they were bobo's? What was her name again, Alex? I can't remember."_

 _"Jessica Wedge, and no, I've never told that story, and we don't have to now, mom."_

 _"Right, right, Jessica Wedge. Fuck Jessica Wedge," and she laughed. Alex laughed too._

 _"Girls like that are always going to be around to put other people down, but you always have to be stronger than that. Never let anyone put you down, always know that you're better than them. Here's to saying a big 'Fuck You' to all the Jessica Wedge's in the world," Diane said as she raised her glass of wine for a toast. They all clinked their glasses together and said 'Fuck Jessica Wedge' in unison._

 _Piper felt so much more comfortable now. She knew now that she was worried for nothing. Alex's mom was really the coolest mom ever. In stark contrast, Piper's mom was always so cold and prudish. Piper also knew that she would probably never introduce Alex to her mom, for more reasons than one. It was a welcome change being with Diane. She wasn't judgmental at all and she was very open and loving. She could tell that Alex was her whole world, and she knew how much she meant to Alex too._

 _"Well, I better get up and get these dishes done, girls. After that we can have dessert," Diane said._

 _"Oh, let me help you with those," Piper said as she started clearing the table._

 _Piper helped Diane wash the dishes while Alex sat in the living room reading a random book from her mom's bookshelf._

 _"So, Piper, Alex tells me you just finished college. Are you going to stay in the city now that you're done?"_

 _"Yes, that's the plan right now. I'd like to start up my own business someday, but right now, I'm not really sure what that business would be. For now, I'll just keep waitressing to pay the bills while I look for something better."_

 _"You know, I have to say this, and if Alex hears me she's going to kill me," she said, looking over her shoulder at Alex in the living room, "but I've never seen Alex so happy before. Kid, you're all she ever talks about now. Al has never been the type to bring a girl home to meet me, so I knew you had to be very special to her, and now I can see why. You're such an angel, you have a certain innocence about you too, and I can see by the way you look at my Alex that you love her very much."_

 _Piper blushed. Yes, it was true, she really loved Alex. She had never met anyone like her and she doubted she ever would again. She didn't know what the future holds for them, but all she knew is that right now, she wanted a future—any future—with Alex Vause._

 _"How do you feel about kids?" Alex's mom blurted out._

 _Piper was shocked, and had no idea how to answer that question, "Um, kids? Hmmm. I've never really… I mean, I'm not sure…"_

 _"Mom, Jesus, did I just hear you ask Piper about kids? We've only been dating a few months, I don't think either of us are ready to get knocked up yet," Alex said while coming up behind Piper and putting her arms around her waist and kissing her neck. "Unless there's something you're not telling me, Piper? You know we did forget to use a condom a few times," Alex laughed._

 _"What's wrong with me wanting grandbabies, Al. Ya know, I'm not getting any younger, and I don't wanna be an old grandma with white hair and a cane. I want to be a young grandma that's hip and able to keep up with the little ones."_

 _"Okay, mom, we'll work on it," Alex said to placate her mom. She looked at Piper and mouthed the word 'Not.'_

 _"Oh, fuck!" Diane exclaimed while looking in the freezer. "I forgot to get the ice cream for the dessert. I need to run down to the market and grab some real quick."_

 _"Mom, it's okay, you don't have to do that," Alex said._

 _"Oh, yes I do. I spent all day on this dessert and I'm not going to have it ruined because I forgot to get the frickin' ice cream. I'll be about ten or fifteen minutes, you two just do whatever until I get back," Diane said as she grabbed her purse and headed out the door._

 _Piper turned to Alex and put her arms around her waist and pulled her in for a hug, "Alex, your mom is the best. I'm so glad you brought me to meet her, and I'm having such a wonderful time here."_

 _Alex grabbed Piper by the hand and started pulling her down the hallway._

 _"Where are we going, Al?"_

 _She stopped in the hallway, and turned around and grabbed Piper's face and pulled her into a searing kiss. "I'm taking you to my room. We've got maybe ten minutes, but I want to fuck you in my old bed, so we need to make it quick."_

The memory made Alex smile, but the reality was that she and Piper were over now, and she needed to focus on something else. Something that wasn't Piper Chapman. She still needed at least one more girl to help sell, and she was having a hard time finding this last one. The pool of inmates—as large as it was now—was lacking in innocent looking girls that were also not junkies. Girls like Piper.

As if on cue, Alex looked over and noticed a leggy, gorgeous, blond that was introducing herself to Lolly. She was strikingly beautiful and Alex wondered what she could have possibly done to end up in here. She looked like a model or a powerful CEO of some Fortune 500 company. _Perfect,_ Alex thought, _she just might be the one._

Alex grabbed a wheelbarrow and pushed it over by Lolly and the potential recruit.

"Vause, this is Banks, and get this, her name is Steely. Steely Banks. She's gotta be a bank robber, right?" Lolly joked. "She says she's not though, but I'm not sure I buy it."

"Hi, Steely, I'm Alex," Alex said as she extended her hand to Steely.

"Pleasure to meet you, Alex," Steely said with a sexy smile.

Alex could already tell this chick was into her. Alex was very confident and women seemed to love that about her. She needed to get this girl alone for a few minutes to assess her, so she asked if she could help her with the wheelbarrow. Steely obliged and they walked over to the garden area.

"So, Steely, what's an innocent looking girl like you doing in this place? If you're not into robbing banks what are you into?" Alex asked.

"Ah, I'm into lots of things," Steely teased.

"Aren't we all?" Alex flirted back.

Steely stepped closer to Alex and said, "Why don't you try and guess why I'm in here, and then I'll try to guess why you're here? How about that?"

"Hmmmm," said Alex, "Okay, but if I'm to make an educated guess as to why you're in here, I think it's only fair that I get to ask you a few questions first. Just to get an idea of what kind of girl you really are. Is that fair?"

"Sure, how about we each get three questions?"

"Deal," Alex said. "First question: If you were stranded on an island and could only have one book, what would it be?"

"The Great Gatsby," Steely replied. "Next question."

"What's the last thing you bought before you were incarcerated?" Alex asked.

"A venti white mocha from Starbucks." Steely replied.

"Okay, last question. When's the last time you talked to your mom?"

"April 2, 2001, the day she died," Steely said thoughtfully.

The last answer shocked Alex a little, "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a sad memory. I lost my mom too, so I know how you feel."

"It's okay, we were just very close and I still miss her. She was my rock." So what's your best guess?" Steely asked, changing the subject.

"Hmmm, you're a tough one, Banks, but from your taste in books you've revealed that you're one who wants an extravagant lifestyle and a beautiful woman that probably belongs to someone else. The last purchase you made before entering prison tells me that you're really just basic. You were close to your mom which reveals you're not a psycho. So, based on all that, I'm going to say you're in here for grand larceny. You probably lifted a Cartier bracelet while shopping at Tiffany's."

Steely smiled, "You're close, Alex… very close, but I'm much more than just a petty thief. I'm a professional hacker, and I've stolen millions from various different entities."

"Fuck, millions? You must be some hacker, kid."

"I'm one of the best in the world. Some people would also call me a con man, but I really prefer the generic con artist. I like to think of myself as a type of artist. So, is it my turn now?"

"Go for it," said Alex.

"Okay, question one: What's your favorite color?"

"Seriously, my favorite color? That's the question you're going with?"

"Yep, you can tell a lot by a person's favorite color," Steely said, smiling.

"Okay, black," Alex replied.

"Question two: What is your favorite food?"

"Coq au vin."

"Nice, nice… question three: What's better, chocolate or sex?"

"Sex."

"Hmmm, that's interesting. Surveys reveal that most women prefer chocolate to sex."

"Well, I'm definitely not most women," Alex whispered close to Steely's ear. She could see the woman almost get a little weak in the knees. She knew she could probably get this girl to do anything she wanted. "So, what's your best guess? I can't wait to hear this based on your random selection of questions."

"So, you like the color black, which means you're artistic and sensitive. It also means you're careful with the details of your life and you do not share easily with others. You also like Coq au vin, which means you've probably traveled a lot and have eclectic taste. Best of all, you prefer sex over chocolate which means you're very confident, you probably get a lot of girls, and you're probably great in bed."

Alex smirked, "All true. So, what am I in her for?"

"You're a drug smuggler," Steely said with confidence.

Alex was taken aback, she didn't think the girl would guess it correctly, but she was spot on, "Um, yeah. Jesus, I didn't think you would guess correctly, but, wow. Most women in here can never guess correctly about me."

Steely stepped closer to Alex and whispered in her ear, "I'm not most women, Alex."

From across the yard, Piper watched this scene unfold—the body language, how closely they were standing to each other, whispering in her ear. She knew when Alex was flirting. She felt sick and a white-hot feeling was starting to consume her. Jealousy.

A/N – I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I've been taking your reviews to heart. If I had to cast the person to play the role of Steely, it would be Charlize Theron and with the confidence of Shane from The L Word. Please review, and have a great week! -J


	8. Chapter 8 Little Green Eyed Monster

Chapter 8

Little Green Eyed Monster

Piper ran back inside after seeing Alex and Steely together. She was seeing red and she was mad as hell. She headed straight for the bathrooms, found an empty stall, and quickly entered slamming the door closed behind her. She threw three hard punches to the stall door before her knuckles started to bleed.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" she screamed.

"Fuck, is right. What the fuck? Is that you, Chapman?" asked a curly haired girl from the other side of the stall door. "Why are you assaulting the bathroom door?"

"Shit, Nicky?" asked Piper as she unlocked the stall door and stepped out. Nicky was holding a mop and looking at her like she was crazy. Piper had run into Nicky a few times since she had come back from Max, but Lorna was always around and Nicky would bail, so they really hadn't had a chance to talk since she returned.

"What the fuck, Chapman? You're bleeding" Nicky said while putting the mop back into the bucket.

"Yeah, I'm just… something just pissed me off," Piper replied while staring at her bloody knuckles.

"Something, or someone?"

Piper stared at Nicky.

"Was it Vause? I heard you two broke up again. I also heard what you did to her. How could you do that? I mean, didn't you do everything in you could to get her back in here with you—which is pretty fucked up in itself—and then you go and cheat on her? What was the point of getting her back in here if you were just going to throw her away like yesterday's garbage?"

"You know what, Nicky? There's more to the story than just what Alex told you, and besides she's the one that broke up with me."

"Yeah, I heard about that too. So you're like what? The 'Panty Godfather' now? You know, I was almost proud of you for that until Vause told me how all that power turned you into a major ASSHOLE!"

"Oh my God, I'm the asshole? Because I wanted to protect my business and my money?"

"Oh, and how'd that work out for you? I heard what your little Aussie girl toy did with your money. Nice move on getting her sent down to Max by the way. What are you going to do to the next person who does you wrong? Do you have a little henchman in your crew that's gonna start breaking people's legs when they fuck you over? You're becoming quite the prison boss there, Chapman. I mean, shit, are we all going to have to start picking sides and deciding which prison gang to join? Fuck, what are you thinking, Chapman? You're not a bad ass criminal type, but for some reason you're trying to become one."

Nicky's words were harsh, but the mood Piper was in right now, her words were just fuel for the fire. "Look, people just need to know not to fuck with me. I will build my panty business back up and I will triple my profits and I will be just fine. You don't need to worry about me, unless you plan on fucking me over. Then you need to worry."

"Jesus, Chapman, listen to yourself. No wonder Vause dumped your ass," Nicky said and turned to grab her mop. "You know what, don't worry about me fucking you over, because at the rate you're going, the only person that's going to fuck you over is you."

Piper stood glaring as Nicky walked out of the bathroom with her mop and bucket.

* * *

Nicky found Alex in the cafeteria at dinner and at first she thought she was sitting with Piper, but upon closer look she realized it was another blond. She grabbed her dinner tray and headed that way. She sat down in the empty chair next to Alex and across from the blond.

"Vause, who's your friend here?" the always forward Nicky asked while looking Steely up and down.

"Oh, hey, Nicky. This is Banks, Steely Banks. She's new and just started working on the ground's crew today," Alex replied while looking amusedly at Nicky's expression. She could tell she was about to drool, but was trying to appear as cool as possible. "Steely, this is Nicky Nichols. She's good shit."

"Pleasure, Nicky," Steely said smiling at the curly haired girl.

"Oh no, the pleasure is definitely all mine," Nicky said while smirking at winking at the blond.

Nicky looked up and noticed Piper in the line. "Fucking Chapman," she said.

Alex looked up and saw her too. Piper was staring at them, and when Alex looked up, she saw something in Piper's eyes that she hadn't seen in a long time. _Oh my God, she's fucking jealous._ Alex had seen this look many times when she and Piper were together many years ago, so she was very familiar with it. Piper was usually cool with Alex flirting with other girls because she knew that was part of her job, but on certain occasions—usually when Piper was drunk—Piper would lose it and this little green eyed monster would come out. _Well she's certainly not drunk now_ , Alex thought.

"I ran into Chapman earlier in the bathroom and she was beating the fuck out of the stall door. Said something pissed her off. You wouldn't know anything about that would ya now, Vause?" Nicky asked looking at Alex with inquisitive eyes.

"No, why would I know anything about it?" Alex asked.

"Well, she is your ex," Steely said nonchalantly.

Alex looked surprised and asked, "How did you know that?"

"She's my bunkie. We've talked," Steely said with a sly smile.

"Shit. So that's how you knew about me? She told you that?" Alex asked.

Steely laughed, "Yeah, that's pretty much how I knew. She never told me that directly, but I figured it out. She said she was in here because her 'lover' asked her to carry a suitcase full of drug money. Then I saw how googly-eyed she got whenever she saw you… so I put two and two together."

"Yeah, those two have a crazy history together," Nicky said, "you should let me tell you all about sometime."

"Hmmm, sounds interesting. I'd love to hear more. For now, though, I'm about to hit the showers. I feel disgusting," Steely said standing up grabbing her tray.

"Well, you sure don't look disgusting," Nicky said while watching Steely walk away.

"Down, girl!" Alex said laughing at Nicky. "I felt like you were going to start dry humping her at any moment."

Nicky smiled her signature smile, "Shit, can you blame me? That woman is hot. I'd climb her like a tree." They both laughed.

Nicky looked up and noticed Piper again. "Seriously, though. Something's up with Chapman, she's definitely not the same Chapman I remember before I went to Max. Everything just went to shit while I was down there, Vause. What happened around here?"

"I don't know. I guess I really was so caught up in my own drama that I didn't do more to help Piper. I really hope she gets her shit together," she said.

"You miss her don't you?" Nicky asked.

Alex didn't answer.

"It's okay, Vause, you don't have to say it. I already know the answer to that because I feel the same about Lorna. At least you don't have to work with your ex," Nicky said.

"Yeah, how's that going anyway?" Alex asked.

"Fine. We have different schedules, so I only see her on days that end in 'y'," Nicky said with a sad look on her face.

* * *

Piper had gone down to the rec room to get some ice for her swollen knuckles. It was quiet, no one was around, not even the guards. She filled a Ziploc bag with some ice and sat down at one of the tables and put the ice pack on top of her hand. It felt soothing and soon her hand was numb from the cold. She heard someone coming and turned to see Alex coming in with a cup of water.

Alex had come down to heat up a cup of water to make some tea. She saw Piper sitting at the table with the ice pack on her hand, and she remembered what Nicky told her about Piper beating the bathroom stall door. She decided to have a little fun with Piper, because 'Jealous Piper' was nothing if not entertaining. She walked over to the microwave and placed her cup inside, set the timer and hit start. Then she turned and walked over to where Piper was sitting, "What happened to your hand, Chapman?"

Piper sat looking up at Alex, "Nothing, what do you care?"

"Well, I heard you got into a huge fight with the bathroom stall door and I was wondering what it did to you? Did it take your money? Oh wait, no, that was someone else. The same someone you fucking cheated on me with," Alex said smugly. Nicky had filled her in on that little tidbit earlier. She had wondered what the girl did to Piper that Piper was vindictive enough to send her down to Max with only two days left on her sentence.

"Fuck you, Alex!" Piper said as she stood up in front of Alex. "It looks like you've already moved on anyway, so why do you fucking care?"

Alex feigned a look of surprise, "What do you mean, I've moved on?"

"I saw you earlier today by the garden with Steely, and you two couldn't keep your hands off each other," Piper said angrily, her face reddening.

"Piper, you're seeing things. We barely touched. We were just talking shit anyway," Alex said.

"Sure, Alex. I know how you look when you're flirting with someone. I've seen it enough to know. And Steely's just your type too," Piper shot back.

Alex was enjoying this. It had been so long since Piper had been jealous, and she had to admit that it was always kind of a turn on. In the past whenever Piper had one of her jealous fits it always ended with the two of them having hours and hours of mind-blowing sex. As much as she was enjoying it, she knew tonight would not end in mind-blowing sex. But maybe she could make Piper think it would.

She stepped closer to Piper, so close they were breathing each other's breath. Alex grabbed Piper's hair forcefully and pulled it back away from her neck and ear, and then she came close to Piper's ear and whispered, "It hurts to see the person you love touching and being touched by someone else, doesn't it, Piper?" Alex's lips were almost touching Piper's skin on her neck below her ear, but she would never touch her. Piper could feel her breath on her neck and that was driving her crazy.

"Yes, it fucking hurts, Alex," Piper said breathlessly while grabbing Alex's hair, trying to force her lips onto her skin, but Alex resisted.

Just then the microwave beeped. Alex pulled away from Piper and stared at her intensely for a few seconds before turning away. She carefully grabbed her hot cup of water, and walked out slowly, smirking.

A/N – Thanks for reading, and please review. Have a great weekend! Peace - J


	9. Chapter 9 Second in Command

Chapter 9

Second in Command

Alex and Lolly were raking the yard on a warm late summer afternoon. Lolly had been discussing the fluoride conspiracy theory for the past hour, and Alex had managed to keep up with her the first five minutes, then she zoned out of the conversation. It wasn't until Alex noticed Lolly was jumping up and down trying to get her attention that she snapped back to reality. She walked over closer to Lolly to find out what she was so excited about.

"It's the toothpick guy. Look! Look!" Lolly whispered excitedly.

Alex felt her skin run cold. She turned around slowly and saw Aydin standing near the greenhouse entrance. Toothpick in mouth, he looked at her with dark cold eyes. She turned back to Lolly and tried to play cool.

"Yeah, so?" she asked Lolly.

"He freaks me out. Always staring and never saying a word. I don't like him. I think he's definitely here to take you out. He looks like he could be black ops for sure," Lolly explained. "Shit, here he comes. I'm outta here. Bye."

Alex watched as Lolly quickly ran off to join another group of girls by the garden.

"Inmate Vause, I need you to check the tool inventory in the greenhouse," Aydin said walking up behind her.

Alex followed Aydin into the greenhouse. She glanced around the greenhouse and it was empty. She was always nervous around Aydin since she had witnessed him shoot Fahri in that Paris hotel room so many years ago. After Fahri's death he had become Kubra's second in command. Alex had also always felt she was in competition with Aydin. Alex was one of Kubra's best importers and she made him tons of money, but somehow Kubra always seemed to prefer Aydin over her. She figured it was because of her slip after her breakup with Piper and her mom's death when she had a moment of weakness and chose drugs over doing her job. She felt Kubra secretly held that against her.

"So, are you ready to do this, Vause?" Aydin asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be for someone being forced to do something against their will," Alex snapped.

Aydin smiled, "I don't get you, Vause. You should be fucking thankful that Kubra didn't kill you. He's giving you a second chance here, and you better work your ass off to make him some money because there will be no more chances."

"Right. So, how's this going to work? Please enlighten me as to how I'm supposed to sell drugs in prison?" Alex asked.

"Okay, listen up. Each week you will get a new shipment of drugs. You'll be responsible for distribution, obviously, and I'll be here to keep you in check. If any drugs come up missing or any money comes up short, you're done. So you better choose your girls wisely and not pick any junkies."

"Obviously," Alex retorted. "So how are these girls supposed to pay for the drugs? Somehow I don't see Kubra accepting the commissary's finest microwavable meals or plastic flip-flops."

"Obviously," Aydin spat back. "I have an account number that you'll need to memorize. You'll give the customers the account number and an amount to wire to it. Once that money is received, I'll let you know to drop the drugs to the customer."

Alex looked confused, "This sounds complicated. How are these girls going to be able to wire money? I haven't noticed a Western Union around here."

"They can wire money directly from their commissary accounts to pay, or they can have a family member on the outside wire it. Either way. Anything under $500 doesn't get flagged for investigation. People do it all the time in other prisons," Aydin explained.

"Okay, so how much exactly do you expect me to move each week?"

"We'll start off slow and see how it goes. Once you get your customer base established, you'll probably see an increase in product. I have your first shipment," he said handing her a small baggy of a powdery white substance.

Alex had seen enough heroin in her lifetime to know what it was. "This is it? What is this, like a gram?"

"Yeah, it's just a gram. Street value of about $100, but in here you can break that gram into 12 pieces at $100 a piece," Aydin said.

"Holy shit? Seriously? And these girls will pay that, I suppose, because they're desperate," Alex said.

"Yep, they will. Next week I'll bring in more, and not just heroin. A lot of these girls in here prefer meth and some like coke. So you'll be selling all three eventually."

"Okay, makes sense. How am I supposed to pay the girls working for me?"

"You'll get ten percent of what you sell each week added to a prepaid credit card, and you can figure out how to split it with your girls. I suggest you also use prepaid credit cards to pay them too. You'll probably need a cell phone for that. I'll get you one. Oh, and one of your girls probably needs to work in the lingerie department," Aydin said with a smirk.

"You mean Whispers?"

"Yeah, the shipments will be hidden in the bolts of fabric that come in each Monday. You'll need a girl to retrieve the package and hand it off to you."

 _Shit_ , Alex thought. None of the girls she planned to recruit worked for Whispers. Two of them worked in the kitchen, one worked in the laundry, and Steely worked with Alex on the grounds crew. She would have to figure something out.

"Okay, I'll make sure it gets picked up each Monday. Anything else I need to know?" Alex asked, looking around nervously.

"Yeah… don't fuck up, or you and your little girlfriend will both be dead. Now here's the account number, memorize it."

Alex quickly memorized the numbers. _4815162342\. 4815162342. 4815162342._ "Okay, got it."

"Now get back to work, inmate," Aydin said while opening the greenhouse door.

Alex quickly hid the small baggy of heroin in her waistband. She would hide it again once she got away from Aydin. As she stepped out of the greenhouse, Steely walked up.

"Hey, Vause. Was that guard giving you a hard time?" Steely asked eyeing Aydin.

"Nah, he was just having a hard time finding a pair of clippers for another inmate to use," Alex lied.

"He gives me the creeps," said Steely, "he's always staring at me like he knows me or something."

"Maybe he's got the hots for you," Alex said smiling. "I mean you are kind of attractive."

"Kind of?" Steely questioned.

"Yeah, kind of," Alex flirted back.

Alex looked up, past the fence and saw Piper was running the track. She couldn't see her very well, but even with the distance between them she could see that Piper was watching her with Steely. _Can't pass up this wonderful opportunity_ , Alex thought.

"Hey, Steely. I really need to talk to you in private for a few minutes. Come with me into the greenhouse, no one's in there right now," she said as she grabbed Steely by the arm and led her into the greenhouse.

* * *

Piper watched in horror as Alex led Steely into the greenhouse.

 _Fuck. Fuck you, Alex,_ she thought to herself.

She was so upset and running so hard and fast that she really didn't notice the tied up pair of sneakers someone had left lying on the track. Her feet became tangled in the sneakers, and she fell face first into the track. She could feel sharp cuts on her chin and cheek as she skidded to a stop.

Defeated, she just rolled over and looked up at the clear blue sky. Tears started to come down her face burning into the fresh scratches. She didn't know if she was crying because she fell or because of what she was envisioning Alex doing to Steely right now in the greenhouse. Wait. She did know. She knew these tears were because of Alex. She put her arm over her eyes and kept crying until she noticed a shadow was forming over top of her. She moved her arm and looked up.

"Blondie, what's wrong? Why are you lying on the ground bleeding?" came a thick Russian accent. "And who the fuck is that pretentious whore of a woman in our cube?"

A/N – Thank you so much for the reviews, and for reading and following my story. This chapter was a little shorter than usual, but it has some important setup for the rest of the story. I really hope no one searches my Google history after writing this chapter. Someone would swear that I was about to start running drugs in prison. It was very interesting research, to say the least. Have a great week - J


	10. Chapter 10 An Offer You Can't Refuse

Chapter 10

An Offer You Can't Refuse

Piper, still lying on the track, sat up quickly when she saw Red. It was a relief to see her. They had all been locked up in the SHU for over a week.

"Red?" Piper wondered if perhaps she had hit her head a bit too hard when she fell and maybe she was imagining her.

"What is wrong with you, Blondie? Why are you on the ground? Isn't the point of this thing to run around, and not lie around," Red asked motioning her arms around the track.

"I tripped and fell," Piper said as she started to stand. She brushed the dirt and grass from her clothes, and felt the scratches on her face. "It's so good to see you, Red." She leaned in to give Red a hug, but Red backed off.

"Tell me who this woman is in our cube," Red began. "Is this the Martha Stewart type that was on TV not too long ago? Please tell me no."

"Yep, it's her, and I have a feeling the two of you are going to get along splendidly," Piper joked.

"Tell me she's not working in the kitchen."

"She sure is. She has a whole new crew in there and Caputo's even letting her add some fresh garden vegetables to the pre-packaged food. It's actually getting a little more tolerable," Piper cringed a little at her words. She probably shouldn't have said that last part. The last thing she wanted to do was piss Red off again.

"I'm going to talk to Healey about this. This is ridiculous. But first, Blondie, I just checked my commissary and my 8 percent from your little panty business was not deposited to my account last week. What's going on? Where's my money?"

"Yeah, well, about that... there's been a slight set back and with most of my girls being locked up in the SHU for the past week, it's been a little difficult getting the product out," Piper explained.

"Tough shit, Blondie. Your girls being in the SHU are not my problem. We had a deal. I get 8 percent off the top each week. It looks like there are plenty of new girls around here, you need to start recruiting. I expect my share to be in my commissary account by the end of the week," Red said in a threatening tone.

"Okay, okay. It'll be in there by the end of the week," Piper promised. "Hey Red, is everyone that was in the lake out of the SHU now?"

"Yes, Caputo let us all go, but we have to work the entire month with no pay as part of our on-going punishment. I guess that's better than getting time added to our sentences. To be honest, it was worth every penny to set foot outside those fences and enjoy that lake for a while."

"Right," Piper said distracted, while looking towards the greenhouse.

Red noticed where her attention was aimed. "You never said why you were crying, Blondie? Does it have something to do with Vause? Have your lies finally caught up with you?"

"No. I was crying because I fell. Because I hurt my face when I fell onto the ground," Piper snapped back.

Red peered over her glasses looking at the cuts on Piper's face. "Wounds heal, Blondie, but scars still remain the same." Red turned and walked away, leaving Piper standing on the track still looking at the greenhouse.

Piper reflected on what Red just said. Wounds, like cuts and scratches, would heal eventually. Most never leaving a scar or any indication that they were once there making you hurt or making you bleed. But scars—scars like losing that one person in your life that sees through all your bullshit but decides to love you anyway—scars like that never go away.

* * *

Alex and Steely were in the greenhouse alone, and Alex had made sure no one was lurking close enough to hear what she was about to ask Steely to do. She hated to put her in this position, but she knew she needed help moving these drugs. _Come on, Vause, you can do this. You've done this hundreds of times before,_ she thought while looking at the lovely girl standing before her.

"Okay, so now that you've got me all alone, what are you going to do to me?" Steely asked, smiling a sexy smile at Alex.

"I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse," Alex began. "Look, I know we don't know each other very well, but I feel like we have a lot in common and you seem like you can be trusted. I need someone that I can trust."

"You think you can trust a con-artist slash computer hacker like me, huh?" Steely asked holding back a laugh.

"Well, you didn't have to tell me that you were a con-artist slash computer hacker, but you did. That makes me think you trust me as well. I need someone I can trust and someone who's not afraid of getting their hands dirty. I may be wrong, but you seem like the right girl," Alex said.

"So, what's the job? And how much does it pay? I'm not a cheap girl, you know?"

Alex smiled and leaned in towards Steely a bit, "You know what I used to do for a living, right? So I was thinking of maybe trying that out in here. I've heard you can make a ton of money. How do you feel about helping me sell?"

"Hmmm, sounds risky. I'm going to need to have more information before I can make a decision here," said Steely, "and you still haven't told me what the pay will be."

"My cut is ten percent of what we sell each week. I figured I'd split that five ways between myself and four other girls. Other girls like you that we can trust. I've scoped out the potential recruits and I feel confident about them. The drugs will come in on Monday and we have until Sunday night to sell it all. When I get paid, you get paid. You'll need to have someone on the outside get you a prepaid credit card that I can load your money onto."

You could see the wheels in Steely's head turning, "Wait, four other girls? That's too many, Alex. We can just do this. The two of us. We can split the money 50-50."

"You think just the two of us can pull this off? I mean, have you seen how many women are in here now. I just don't see how it will be possible to pull this off with just two people," Alex countered.

"Look, this is my third time in prison. I've seen how this works in other prisons. More often than not there's just one drug runner and one 'assistant' who is kind of like the muscle. The one who breaks legs when they don't pay kind of girl. It's less risky that way and it sets you up as the boss. Everyone looking to buy knows you're the one in charge. It gives you great prison cred, and it forces others not to go in business against you," Steely explained.

"Shit, you sound like you know what you're talking about. Maybe we can pull this off. We'll have to get the word out and see how much business we can drum up this week." Alex's mind was racing now. "Fuck, I forgot. The drugs will come in each week through Whispers. We're going to need someone working there to carry the drugs out for us each week. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Nothing comes to mind right at the moment. Oh, wait, what about your ex, Piper?"

"Fuck, no. Piper cannot know about this," Alex said.

"Alex, really? How do you think you're going to become a prison drug boss without your ex finding out about it?"

"Maybe you need to be the drug boss then, and I can be the muscle," Alex said.

"I don't know. That's a little fucked up isn't it? I mean, you're the one who wants to move drugs in here, not me. Doesn't that make you the boss automatically?"

"To me, it doesn't matter. I'm not doing this for power," Alex replied.

"So, you're just doing it for the money?" Steely asked skeptically.

"Yeah… just for the money," Alex lied.

"Okay, so for all intents and purposes I will appear to be the big bad drug boss bitch and you'll be my badass bodyguard? We'll split the money 50-50, and Piper will never know you're selling again."

"Sounds like a plan. Do we have a deal, Steely?"

"Deal. Do you want to shake on it? Or we could hug it out, or even better kiss it out?" Steely asked while running her long fingers down the side of Alex's tattooed bicep.

Alex smiled, "I think a hand shake will suffice. For now."

A/N – Sorry for that, don't hate me! I love Vauseman just as much you do, but Alex needs to get all the attention she deserves right now. I decided to do another quick 'middle of the week' update. I plan to post another chapter later this week. I had wanted to do a chapter a week until the Season 4 premiere, but I think this is going to wrap up sooner than that. Maybe by the New Year or sooner. I may write another after this one. It's been so much fun so far. I enjoy reading your reviews and I appreciate you all taking the time out to read my little story. Please review - J


	11. Chapter 11 A Rich Little Yuppie Girl fro

Chapter 11

A Rich Little Yuppie Girl from Park Slope

Piper was standing in the breakfast line in the cafeteria. With everyone involved in the lake incident out of the SHU now, the cafeteria was more crowded than usual. Right away she noticed Alex, Nicky, Steely, and several new girls sitting together at a table in the back corner. Alex was laughing at Nicky, and Steely was looking at Alex like a love sick puppy. It was obvious to her that Alex didn't even notice her. She turned her attention to Cindy, Poussey, and Taystee talking about how thankful they were to be out of the SHU and eating some better food.

"It's nice to have some personal space again. You'd think when you go to the SHU that you'd at least get some personal space, but nooooo. I mean, who goes to 'solitary' confinement and has to be locked up in a small ass cell with two or three other bitches?" Taystee asked.

"Aw, it wasn't that bad," Poussey said with a grin. Poussey was looking hard behind the counter to see if she could get a look at Judy King.

"Yeah, that's because you were stuck in a cell with your new little girlfriend, Soso." Cindy said. "Try being stuck in a cell with two meth heads. I felt like I was in an episode of the Twilight Zone or something. Those two are fucking weird, for real."

They all laughed, as they continued moving through the line. Piper got her food and looked for someone to sit with. She finally noticed Morello sitting with Yoga Jones and Sister Ingalls, so she went and joined them. "So, I heard from Taystee in the line that the SHU was so full you had to share cells with other people. Bet you're glad to be out of there."

"You have no idea, that was the longest week of my life," said Yoga Jones. "Where did all of these new people come from? And when did Judy King get here? I thought she was going to another prison."

Piper took a bite of her orange and began to explain, "Right after you guys got sent to the SHU, they changed out all of our bunks and several busses arrived and dropped of these new girls. Some of them came back up from Max and others are just new arrivals. Apparently MCC is trying to fix an overcrowding problem by overcrowding Litchfield. Judy King arrived around the same time, and lucky me… I get to share a cube with her. And Red."

"Holy shit," said Sister Ingalls and everyone stopped and stared. "What?"

"Yeah, I ran into Red this morning and she was pretty pissed that Healy gave her job to Judy King. She said she had been assigned back to the garden," Lorna explained.

"What about Gloria, has anyone heard how she reacted?" Yoga Jones asked.

"Gloria's going to be working at Whispers now. She started yesterday," Piper explained. "And, speaking of Whispers, I need you girls to start wearing the panties again. I have several pairs ready for you and I was thinking let's just do one day turns on these so I can get my inventory back on track."

Everyone other than Piper just looked at one another like they didn't know what to say.

"What?" Piper asked. "Is there some kind of problem?"

"Well, Chapman, we all kind of heard what you did to Flaca and even that Stella girl and frankly we're a little concerned about you," Lorna said carefully.

"Concerned? What's there to be concerned about? The only thing you need to be concerned about is getting those panties on and getting them stinky. What other concerns would there be?" Piper asked defensively.

"We're concerned about you, Chapman," Yoga Jones said, "you've not been yourself lately. You used to be this nice, innocent person and now, well… you've been a little… you're just…"

"A fucking manipulative bitch," said Sister Ingalls.

Piper was stunned. Did this woman of God just call her a _fucking manipulative bitch_? This was too much. Piper stood up and grabbed her tray. "Well, if that's the way you feel, you're all out. No more panty money for you, and don't try crawling back to me either because I made that mistake once by taking someone back, but no more." She turned, took her tray to the dumpster, and left the cafeteria.

* * *

Across the cafeteria, Alex watched as Piper stormed off. She wondered what had happened, but she could almost bet that she already knew. Piper's girls were starting to turn on her. She felt a pang of empathy for her, but she tried to push it away. She also wondered what had happened to Piper's face. There were scratches and a bruise on her chin and cheek. _Surely she didn't get into a fight_ , Alex thought.

Steely excused herself, and Alex and Nicky were left at the table. Alex could see Nicky looking at Lorna, and she knew how she felt. All of a sudden, Flaca came over and sat down in front of them. Flaca had also been assigned to their cube. Apparently there were no race rules anymore when it came to bunking. Alex could see that Flaca was upset and had been crying. "What's wrong, Flaca?"

"Nothing, it's just my mom. She's so been so sick lately and I wasn't able to call her until today. She's run out of pain medication and none of my sorry ass cousins would loan her enough money to get them refilled," Flaca said as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Do you have any money in your commissary that you could send to her," Nicky asked.

"Fuck, no. Since Chapman cut me off from the panty business, I'm almost broke. I guess if I start wearing them again, I can maybe have enough money for her in a couple of weeks, but that doesn't help her now, you know? And, I'm not making any money from Whispers until our punishment is up, and that's another month away."

"Don't worry, Flaca, I'm sure something will come up," Alex said. Right then Alex knew she had found the girl to smuggle the drugs out of Whispers each week. Flaca would be perfect. She was desperate enough to do it and she had enough street smarts to get by without getting caught. She knew now wasn't the appropriate time to bring it up with Nicky here, so she decided to table it until later.

* * *

Piper returned to her cube. She was still steaming from what the girls had said to her. She laid down on her bed and closed her eyes. She tried to think of happier thoughts, but nothing would come to her. All she could think about was Alex and Steely sitting and laughing in the cafeteria. She assumed that they were fucking now and this thought made her sick to her stomach. She still thought of Alex as hers and she could hardly bear to see her with anyone else.

She also had another major problem on her mind. The panty business. She was losing girls left and right. Right now she only had Flaca, Big Boo, Maritza, Ruiz, Flores, and maybe a couple other girls. She also owed Red a fairly large sum of money by the end of the week. She needed to talk to Cal again to try and convince him and Neri to stop selling their fake version of the panties. She knew he'd come for a visit on Saturday and she thought she'd talk to him about that then. She may even have to ask him for a loan.

She needed to recruit more girls. She decided any new girls she recruited, she would pay them less than $8 per pair. Maybe just $4 per pair. That way she could recoup some of the money that Stella had stolen from her.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Steely came into the cube.

"What's up, Chapman? What happened to your face?" Steely asked.

"Nothing, I fell," Piper said. "What happened to you 'not making a play for my ex'?"

Steely smiled a confident smile, "Ah, so I see now why you've been so short and standoffish with me lately. This is about Alex."

"Yes, it's about Alex. I mean what the fuck? We just broke up and she's already fucking you?"

"Whoa, wait a second. Calm your tits, woman. We're just friends. I mean, I like her and she's drop dead gorgeous and everything, but we're not fucking. Not yet, anyway," Steely said with a devilish grin.

Piper scoffed, "Yeah, right. I know Alex. She can't go very long without having someone in her bed."

"Good to know. Look, I'm not going to make promises to you that I can't keep. If something happens between us, it happens. I like her, she's exciting, and I think we have a lot in common. A lot more than the two of you I'd be willing to bet. How did you even meet someone like her in the first place? You don't seem like you'd travel in the same circles."

Piper thought about not answering Steely's question, but she wanted her to know. She wanted Steely to know that her feelings for Alex were real and this just wasn't just some prison fling. She wanted her to know that they had a history together. A long, complicated history, but a history nonetheless. So she decided to tell her.

"Alex and I met at a bar where I was trying to get a job as a waitress. I was fresh out of college and had no money of my own. I needed to find work so I could afford my rent. She called me Laura Ingalls Wilder," Piper laughed and started to get lost in the memory.

 _After being rejected for a job by the bartender. Piper looked around at the table where the gorgeous, raven haired girl had just called her Laura Ingalls Wilder and then asked if she wanted to skip the country with them. She decided to stay a while, so she asked the bartender if she could get a margarita._

 _Before she knew it, someone was walking up next to her. "It's a little cold out for a margarita, don't you think?" the raven haired woman asked, then smiled to most gorgeous smile. Her lips were full and painted a shade of dark red that looked so good against her light complexion. She was so mesmerizing Piper couldn't even form a response._

 _The raven haired woman picked up her resume and began reading it. "Let's see this. Steve's Greek Cuisine, La Grande Fromage. Bullshit, bullshit. You need a lesson in fudging a resume."_

 _For a moment Piper thought she might be in a Coyote Ugly situation where this woman was really the bar owner and she was testing her. "Do you work here?" Piper asked._

 _"Are you fucking kidding me?" she said and looked back at Piper's resume. "Manager, Polly Harper. No one named Polly Harper gets put in charge. Who is that really?"_

 _"It's my friend," Piper admitted while blushing._

 _The gorgeous woman laughed. "You've never waited a fucking table in your life, have you?"_

 _Piper shook her head, and smiled a crooked smile, "No."_

 _"So, Piper Chapman, 'A Smith grad with excellent listening skills, passionate about making diners feel good.' Mmm. That sounds kind of dirty," she laughed again, then indicated to the bartender delivering Piper's drink to put it on her tab. "'Safe, clean and careful when handling food and drink.'"_

 _She laughed again and this time Piper grabbed her resume from her before things got even more embarrassing for her. "Oh, gosh."_

 _The woman looked at Piper with a more serious and sexy look, "What else do I need to know about you?"_

 _Piper was completely undone by this woman standing before her, "Who are you?" she asked._

 _"My name is Alex."_

 _Alex, finally a name to call her. Piper smiled up at Alex, "And what do you do, Alex… besides make fun of strangers in bars?"_

 _"I work for an international drug cartel," replied Alex with the straightest face ever._

 _Piper was shocked, then Alex laughed. She laughed with her, but still wasn't sure if she was joking or not. This woman was an enigma and Piper just couldn't get enough of her. She was intrigued by her in a way that she had never been with anyone else before._

 _Piper never considered herself straight by any means, but she had only dated guys. She was interested in girls, and had kissed some girls at college but it had never gone any further than kissing or boob touching—nothing below the chest. She thought women were soft and beautiful and it was fun kissing them, but she had never had a serious relationship with a woman. She had mainly dated guys because she didn't want to feel like a third wheel when she went out with her friends that already had boyfriends. She didn't enjoy kissing them or having sex with them, but she did it anyway, usually after a long night of drinking. None of the guys she had been with had ever been memorable in bed. She didn't really feel like a very sexual person, but there was something about Alex that made her heart race and she couldn't help but wonder what a night with her would be like._

 _"So, Alex, does this international drug cartel pay well? I mean do they have great benefits like a 401(k) or health and dental?" Piper asked taking a sip of her margarita._

 _"Still looking for a job, I see," Alex smiled. "The benefits are great, but no retirement or health and dental. Sorry. But there is an almost limitless amount of world traveling and tons of money."_

 _Piper was beginning to think that maybe she wasn't joking, that maybe she really did work for an international drug cartel. I mean, she was dressed in expensive clothing and her perfume was anything but cheap. Her shoes were nice, and she was wearing designer frames. She looked rich and worldly, and she was without a doubt the most gorgeous woman Piper had ever seen. She honestly didn't care what she did for a living. It sounded exciting, actually._

 _They talked for hours, just sitting at the bar. Piper had downed 3 margaritas while Alex was still on her first beer. Alex's friends had left some time ago, but she didn't seem to want to leave with them. Alex seemed just as intrigued by her. Piper couldn't imagine why though, she was just this boring little rich girl from Connecticut who had never really been anywhere other than the East Coast. She didn't understand why this amazing woman was still talking to her after she had been drunkenly babbling on for hours, but she was._

 _The bartender announced last call, and Alex asked Piper if she wanted another drink. Piper realized how drunk she was, and declined._

 _"So, Piper Chapman, it's been lovely meeting you tonight. Would you like to share a cab home?"_

 _Piper tried to focus her thoughts, but the tequila had already won, "You want me to go home with you?"_

 _Alex laughed, "Well, kid, as much as I would really enjoy that, I think you may have had a little too much to drink tonight and I wouldn't feel right taking advantage of you like that. I meant we could share a cab to your place and I could see to it that you make it home safely."_

 _"You can take advantage of me all night, 24-7," Piper slurred._

 _Alex leaned into to Piper's ear and whispered, "I'll definitely take a rain check on that."_

 _Alex helped Piper off the barstool and out the bar door. On the street, she hailed a taxi and she carefully helped Piper into the car. When they were seated inside the back of the cab, Alex reached across Piper and fastened her seatbelt. Piper could smell her hair as she leaned across and it was intoxicating. Her hair smelled like candy. She couldn't really describe the flavor of candy, but it was a sweet, tart, fruity smell with the slightest hint of vanilla. She wanted to grab a handful of it and just breathe it in, but she resisted the urge._

 _"So, what's your address, Piper?" Alex asked._

 _"Oh, it's 144 Prospect Park West," Piper managed to say this as succinctly as possible to the driver._

 _"Park Slope? Figures," Alex laughed._

 _"So, Alex, I was just thinking, you now know my name and my address, and all I know about you is your name is Alex."_

 _"What else would you like to know, kid. I'm an open book."_

 _"What's your last name?"_

 _"My last name is Vause."_

 _"Oh, like V-O-S-S, like boss but with a 'v'?"_

 _"No, like V-A-U-S-E, like how you fancy Park Slope people—and the British—pronounce vase, but with a soft 's'," Alex laughed._

 _"Stop it, I won't apologize for being from Park Slope. It's a nice neighborhood."_

 _"Right, it's definitely not Queens. Anything else you'd like to know, princess?" Alex teased._

 _"Yeah."_

 _"Okay?"_

 _"Can I get your number?"_

 _Alex smiled, "Sure, you got a pen?"_

 _Piper reached in her bag and pulled out a red sharpie and handed it to Alex. "I don't have any paper, you'll have to write it on my hand."_

 _Alex took Piper's hand and wrote her number on top of it. Her touch was almost more than Piper could stand. It felt electrifying, and she wanted nothing more than Alex's hands all over her body. She was just about to unfasten her seatbelt and straddle Alex when the cab pulled to a stop._

 _"Well, I guess this is your stop, kid. I'll get your door," Alex said while opening her own door._

 _Alex asked the cab driver to wait as she got Piper out of the cab and helped her into her building. "Which floor are you on?"_

 _"Second floor, apartment B," Piper replied._

 _Alex helped Piper up the stairs and waited for her to dig through her bag and find the key. When Piper found the key, she unlocked the door but didn't open it yet. She had two other roommates and she didn't want to wake them. She looked at Alex and wanted nothing more than to drag her in here to her bedroom and fuck her all night long, but she knew she was too drunk and would probably end up puking before long. She didn't want to make a bad first impression._

 _"Goodnight, Piper Chapman," Alex said with a flirty smile. Then she leaned into Piper and softly kissed her cheek and walked away._

 _"Goodnight, Alex Vause," and she touched her cheek where Alex's lips had just been._

"Oh my God, you're from Park Slope? I should have known," Steely said.

"Yeah, well, so what? It really _is_ a nice neighborhood."

"So, let me try to get this straight. Alex fell for a rich little yuppie girl from Park Slope, turned you into her drug mule. Then, got you thrown into prison, and you two ended up getting back together again. That's bizarre."

"Yeah, it sounds bizarre, but there's a lot more to the story. We have a lot of history together and our relationship is very complicated," Piper tried to explain.

"So why did she dump you?" Steely asked point blank.

Piper was taken aback, "What makes you think she dumped me?"

"Because you still seem hung up on her, and you wouldn't act that way if you dumped her," Steely said.

"And you're saying you don't think she's still hung up on me?" Piper asked, her voice almost breaking.

"She never really brings you up in conversation with me, so it's hard to say. You didn't answer my question, Piper. Why did she dump you?"

"We broke up because Alex was being paranoid. She thought her old drug boss was sending people in here to kill her. She was really getting very neurotic about the whole thing, and it got to be too much."

"You mean it got to be too much for you to handle? How do you know for sure that her former drug boss wasn't sending someone to kill her? That kind of shit happens all the time when people testify against them. Sounds like you just didn't want to be there for her. Did you cheat on her?"

 _Fuck, the nerve of this woman_ , Piper thought. "Look, she dumped me because we had a difference of opinion about something, and I may have been seeing someone else because the truth is that Alex wasn't there for _ME_. She wasn't there when _I_ needed her because she was too self-involved with her crazy theories about her boss. There. Are you satisfied now? That's the story."

"You're right, Chapman. You two definitely have one very complicated relationship. It's probably a good thing you're not together anymore," Steely said sincerely.

"What the fuck are you two lesbo's in such deep conversation about?" came the voice of the woman Piper hated with a passion. Judy King.

"Try to keep it in your pants, girls. I need to take my morning nap and I don't want to hear you two muff diving," she drawled.

Steely laughed and said, "No worries, King. I prefer red heads. I like how the carpet matches the drapes."

Judy King scoffed, and Piper couldn't help but laugh too. Maybe Steely wasn't such a bad person after all. She really couldn't blame her for being attracted to Alex. She just really hoped deep down that Alex wasn't attracted to her.

"Hey, Steely, can I ask you a question?" Piper half whispered so that Judy King couldn't overhear them.

"Sure, what?"

"What size panties do you wear?"

A/N – Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the flashback. Please keep the reviews coming, they really inspire me. Have a great week – J


	12. Chapter 12 The Pork Chop Story

Chapter 12

The Pork Chop Story

Summer days were drawing to an end. The leaves on the trees were starting to lose their bright green colors, and some were even starting to fall. Alex had been raking all morning, and was now hauling leaves over to the compost pile. She almost failed to notice the guard watching her. She probably wouldn't have noticed him at all until she saw Lolly across the yard staring at her and pointing secretively at the 'toothpick' guard.

Aydin slowly made his way over toward Alex at the compost pile. Alex gave Lolly a reassuring look to let her know that she was okay, and that she could handle him. She almost laughed at the way Lolly was still watching but trying to act inconspicuous. She was anything but.

"Inmate Vause," Aydin said while making sure no one was close enough to hear their conversation.

"Yeah," Alex replied.

"Good job on your first week in business. Looks like you've sold out. We've received money from twelve accounts, so you can make your deliveries now."

"Okay, will do," said Alex. "It sold really fast, and there's plenty more wanting."

"Good. I've got a cell phone for you so you can transfer money and pay your girls. It's hidden in the greenhouse under a loose board in the back left corner. It's under some empty flower pots. The new shipment will be in on Monday. Did you find someone to move it out of Whispers?"

"Yeah, working on that, but it'll be done before then."

"The next shipment will be more, so we're expecting you to sell quadruple what you just sold. If all goes well, the next week will be even more. Write down your prepaid credit card number and drop it under the board in the greenhouse where the cell phone is. I'll transfer your money for this week as soon as I get it."

"Gee, thanks," Alex said. It felt weird thanking someone that was basically forcing you to do something against your will. She hated him for this, and she hated Kubra even more. She swore to herself right then that somehow, someway she would get back at them for this. If it was the last thing she did, she would make them pay.

Aydin was about to walk away, but he turned back to Alex and with a cocky smile on his face he said, "Hey, Vause, I ran into your pretty blond girlfriend this morning coming out of the showers. Nice piece of ass."

Alex wanted to rip his fucking head off, but instead she asked, "So?"

"She looked at me as if she didn't know me. I guess I didn't make a memorable impression," he said.

"Well, she only met you once or twice and that was years ago. And those days we were usually all pretty wasted anyway, she probably just forgot."

"Maybe that's a good thing. I don't want her causing any problems. I'd hate to have to hurt her, Vause. You keep your girl in line and everything should be fine," Aydin threatened.

"Well, if you must know, she's not my girlfriend anymore. We broke up."

Aydin shifted the toothpick to the other side of his mouth and said, "Well, that's too bad. Maybe she needs a shoulder to cry on. I'm a real good listener."

Alex stepped closer to Aydin, almost too close for an inmate, but she didn't care. "You stay the _fuck_ away from Piper." She was shaking, almost ready to punch him in the face repeatedly.

"Back the fuck off, inmate!" Aydin shouted. "Get back to work."

Alex still stood her ground. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Lolly, and now Steely, watching them. She finally backed off and started pushing more leaves into the compost pile. Aydin walked back toward the greenhouse.

After he was out of sight, Steely came up with another wheelbarrow full of leaves. "Vause, what the fuck was that about?"

"That stupid fuck was trying to tell me that I was doing this wrong. Like, how can I be dumping leaves in a compost pile the wrong way? How is there a way to mess this up? I've had a shitty morning, so I just went off on him," Alex lied.

"You're lucky he didn't give you a shot, you were all up in his face. You need to be careful, Alex."

"What are you, Banks, my mother?" Alex snapped.

"Okay. Don't take your shitty morning out on me. Why has it been so shitty anyway?" Steely asked, while throwing leaves onto the top of the pile.

"Well, I woke up and I was still in prison, so that pretty much put a damper on the whole day," Alex said with a sarcastic laugh.

"Oh, and here I was thinking it had something to do with Chapman," Steely said.

"Piper?" Alex asked confused. "No, why would it have anything to do with her? We haven't even spoken in days."

"Maybe you miss her. Maybe that's why you're so… pissy."

"I'm pissy?" Alex asked.

"A little. I thought maybe you were mad at me for talking to Piper about you this morning."

Alex was still confused. "Why were you talking to Piper about me?"

"Chapman was pissy with me too. I could tell, so I asked her straight up if it was because of you. You know, because of our… friendship. I felt she was maybe a bit jealous or something so I asked her about it," Steely explained.

Alex secretly rejoiced on the inside at hearing that Piper was jealous. "What did she say?" she asked.

"Look, Alex, I don't really want to be in the middle of this whole thing that you two have going on. She told me some things in confidence and I don't want to be an asshole by telling you those things. Same with you, you tell me things about her and I don't go running back to her to spill it. You two have a lot of history together, and I get that. But the truth is, I really like you and I don't know if you like me too or if you're just using me to make her jealous. If that's the case, fine. I can deal with that, but just be honest with me. If you and I are going to be working together, I need to know that I can trust you and vice versa."

The last thing Alex wanted was to have Steely not trust her. She was putting a lot of trust in her with the whole drug boss thing, and she didn't need this girl bailing on her. She needed her so that Piper or Nicky or anyone else she was close to in here wouldn't know that she was really the one behind this whole drug thing. She decided to do something to hopefully once and for all reassure Steely that she could trust her. She stepped closer to Steely, grabbed the waistband of her pants with one hand and pulled her close. With her other hand, she brushed Steely's hair back from her face and pulled her in for a kiss. She kissed her soft lips thoroughly and for a second she imagined it was Piper, but she didn't taste the same.

Alex finally pulled away and said, "I hope that answers your question." She smirked at the look on the girl's face. _Still got it,_ she thought.

"Um, um, yeah… I think it does," Steely said, face flushed and a little unsteady on her feet.

* * *

Piper was sneaking an extra pair of undies down her pants when Flaca walked over. Piper thought maybe she had been crying, but she couldn't tell for sure.

"What's up Gonzales?" Piper asked looking up from her sewing machine. "Do you have something for me?"

"Hey, Chapman, that's the thing, right? I have something for you, but I was wondering if… if maybe you could raise my wage just a little and I could give you like a pair a day instead of every two days? It's just… my mom's real sick, as you know, and she really needs some pain medication and I can't get any of my stupid cousins to help her out, so it's just me, you know?"

"So, let me get this straight, you not only want a wage increase, but you also want that wage more often each week? I just took you back barely a month ago, and you think you already deserve a raise?"

"Come on, Chapman, I'm like begging you. Again. I'll do whatever you want, I just really need to get some money to my mom," Flaca pleaded, her eyes tearing up.

Piper did feel compassion for Flaca's mom being sick, but she couldn't afford to give her a raise. She was struggling to get back on her feet again and was paying every new girl a lower wage anyway. She couldn't be seen as weak by letting Flaca have more money especially after what Flaca did to her.

"Gonzales, I'm really sorry about your mom, but I just can't pay you more. You can continue with your normal schedule of every two days. Be glad I'm not cutting you down to every three days," Piper said coldly.

Flaca just stood staring blankly at Piper. "You know what, Chapman? I hope you're in a position one day where you have to ask—no _beg—_ someone to help you out, and I hope that person takes a giant shit all over you pretty little blond head and tells you to fuck off."

Piper stood up, and said angrily, "You know what, I won't be in that position, Gonzales. You know why? Because I have learned the hard way that I can stand on my own two feet and be just fine. I don't need anyone to help me out. Ever. And if you don't want to work for me anymore because you think I'm a bitch or a cunt or whatever word you choose to describe me, then you can just fuck off. I have plenty of other girls willing and able."

Flaca was mad, but Piper knew she wouldn't quit. She needed the money too badly.

"Give me another pair. I can't afford to stop working for your bitch ass," Flaca said.

* * *

Alex and Nicky sat together at dinner. They were both exhausted from their days at their respective prison job assignments. Alex was dirty from hauling leaves and dirt all day and Nicky was dirty from her various janitorial duties.

"Look at us, Vause. We look like a couple of pigs," Nicky said laughing.

"I think at this point, pigs may even be a little cleaner than we are," Alex said looking down at her dirty shirt and pants.

"You know, speaking of pigs… you never told me your pork chop story," Nicky said. "I mean, I told you mine, even though you were supposed to tell yours first, but you never did."

"And this has been on your mind for how long now?" Alex asked while raising her eyebrows and laughing at Nicky.

"I got a lot of time on my hands, and my mind is always thinking about random shit. Just humor me, would you, Vause. I need to hear something funny, and I got a feeling anything to do with pork chops and tequila is probably one hell of a story."

"Okay, I'll tell you, but it's really not _my_ pork chop story, although I was definitely there, it's actually Piper's pork chop story," Alex said.

"Even fucking better," Nicky said.

 _Alex and Piper had been in Bangkok for almost three days. They were staying at a rented two-story house by the Chao Phraya River with several other people in Kubra's ring. Fahri was there and he had several women with him every night. They would work during the day, and party most of the night. At this point, Piper and Alex had been dating for almost a year so Piper was used to this lifestyle now. She knew Alex had to work, so she spent her days exploring the new towns, shopping, or recovering from massive hangovers. She never understood how Alex could hold her liquor so well. She never seemed hungover, maybe just a little tired, but never hungover like Piper would be._

 _Piper had recently discovered that she liked cooking. Whenever they would travel to exotic locations, she would always try to cook something new and something native to whatever country they were visiting. Their first night in Bangkok, she had made some amazing Pad Thai. Everyone loved it, but it especially made Piper happy when Alex loved it. She enjoyed cooking for her woman. It made her feel so domestic. She could see herself settling down with Alex, someday. She just hoped that Alex would want to settle down with her._

 _It was a late afternoon on a Friday when Piper finally made it back to the house. Alex wasn't home yet, so Piper put away her bags, cleaned the kitchen a little, and noticed someone had been shopping. They had bought some meat, groceries, and a case of tequila. Piper loved tequila and her favorite thing to make with tequila was margaritas. Alex always teased her about drinking margaritas all year long, but Piper didn't care if it was hot or cold outside, a margarita was her go-to drink._

 _Piper was on her third margarita by the time Alex got home. She had music playing and she was dancing around on the couch, feeling really good. She didn't even hear Alex come in, until she turned around and saw Alex staring at her with a huge smile on her face._

 _"Alex! Oh my God, I'm so happy to see you, baby!" Piper said excitedly and ran to give Alex a hug and a kiss. "I love you, Alex. I've missed you so much."_

 _Alex laughed, "I see you found the case of tequila, huh, kid?"_

 _"Yeah, I've had a few margaritas while I was waiting for my hot, sexy girlfriend to get home."_

 _"Sorry, I'm late, but I'm glad I'm here now to see you like this. I love it when you're drunk and dancing all over the furniture," Alex said as she grabbed Piper's face and pulled her in for another searing kiss._

 _"Mmmmm," Piper purred, "you taste so good, Al."_

 _"Speaking of tasting good, I'm starving. Do you want to go out and get something to eat? I haven't eaten all day. Well, except for you in the wee hours of this morning," Alex said while kissing Piper's knuckles and smiling._

 _"Why don't we just stay in and I can cook. Someone bought fresh meat and groceries. I can make enough for everyone and they can eat whenever they get here," Piper said._

 _"That sounds fine, Pipes, but are you sure you can cook? I mean, I don't want you to burn the place down or anything," Alex joked._

 _"Pssshhh, I'm fine. I'll have dinner ready soon, you just go kick up your feet and relax," Piper said._

 _"I think I'm going to go grab a shower real quick, so please be careful without adult supervision," Alex smirked._

 _Piper took stock of what groceries and spices they had. Next, she looked in the refrigerator and saw the fresh meat wrapped in butcher paper. She grabbed it out to see what it was._

 _"Mmm, pork chops. I can use those peppers and garlic to make a Thai chili sauce for a glaze," she said out loud to no one but herself. "Yep, we'll have pork chops and a nice salad."_

 _She started preparing the food. She cut up the peppers and crushed the garlic, and used some cornstarch, sugar, and vinegar to make a nice chili sauce. She grabbed out a baking pan, and picked up a couple of the pork chops. She thought they felt a bit softer than normal, but she just figured it was because they were really fresh. She glazed the pork chops with her chili sauce, and stuck it in the oven._

 _By that time, Alex had returned from her shower. Her hair was still wet and Piper could smell her body wash and shampoo from across the kitchen. She sat down at the bar and noticed Piper was now on her fourth margarita._

 _"We're having pork chops with a Thai chili sauce glaze and salad. And you can have me for dessert," Piper slurred._

 _"Mmmm, sounds delicious," Alex said with a sexy smile. "You know, you're really starting to spoil me with all this fancy cooking you've been doing, Miss Chapman."_

 _"Well, I want to spoil you. You spoil me all the time. Cooking for you is the least I can do," Piper said with the sweetest smile ever._

 _Soon dinner was ready, and Piper managed to plate their pork chops and salad. She was starving now too. Drinking always made her hungry. She poured Alex a glass of wine, spilling most of it on the table. Alex just laughed and carefully cleaned it up with some napkins. Piper stuck to her margarita and sat down with Alex._

 _"Smells wonderful, Pipes," Alex said taking a bite of her salad._

 _Piper started cutting into her pork chop. It seemed soft still, but she thought maybe pork here was different than in America. She took a huge bite. The chili sauce was spicy, and the pork chop was actually really good. She ate some salad too. Everything tasted so good. She was eating like a starved hostage, but she didn't care. Manners and etiquette were all out the window by this point._

 _Alex noticed the pork seemed a little soft, but she cut a small piece and tried it anyway. She thought it tasted weird, and it was definitely not the consistency of pork. The chili sauce was good, so she took another bite. She quietly wondered what Piper had done to the meat, but as she looked at Piper stuffing her face, she couldn't bring herself to ask about it._

 _"I think I want another pork chop, do you want another?" Piper asked as she got up from the table._

 _"Um, no thanks, I'm good, baby." Alex watched Piper stumble over and grab another pork chop. She literally just took her fork and forked it and started chewing it as she walked back to the table._

 _"Hungry, Piper?" Alex asked, amused. She knew how drinking made Piper ravenous. She thought it was the cutest thing ever to see this skinny, petite, preppy girl eat like a lumberjack._

 _"Starving," said Piper with her mouth full._

 _After Piper's third pork chop, she called it quits. "I'm stuffed," she said while she finished off the last of her margarita._

 _Just then Fahri came home, alone for once. He had obviously been at the club for a while though because he was ripped._

 _"Fuck, it smells good in here. What's for dinner?" he asked._

 _"Hi, Fahri. I made pork chops with a tiny chili sauce… I mean Thai chili sauce," Piper managed._

 _"Sounds good, I'm starving," Fahri said while making his way into the kitchen._

 _He made himself a plate and sat down at the table with Piper and Alex._

 _"Are you two going down to the club tonight? They have a killer band there right now," he asked while cutting his pork chop._

 _"Maybe," said Alex, "or we just might stay in tonight. Piper's already pretty ripped."_

 _Alex watched Fahri take a bite, and as he chewed she noticed a look of confusion come across his face._

 _"Piper," he laughed, "these aren't pork chops, baby."_

 _"What?" Piper sat up straighter and looked at him._

 _Fahri was laughing harder now. Alex was confused too._

 _"Do you know what you just cooked, Piper?" he asked._

 _"No, I thought they were pork chops. They looked like pork chops… but they did seem a little softer than pork. I thought maybe that's just how pork was here."_

 _Fahri was still laughing. His face had turned a deep shade of red and he had to take a drink of wine before he could speak again._

 _"There's a reason it's softer, Piper. These are not pork chops, these are bull testicles," he said and started to laugh hysterically again. "You just ate bull balls."_

 _"What the fuck?" asked Alex. "Ewww, I just ate a fucking bull testicle?"_

 _"I bought them in the market this morning. They're supposed to be an aphrodisiac," Fahri explained, still laughing._

 _"Oh my God! Piper, I know you haven't been with a lot of men, but please tell me you do realize that testicles don't look anything like a pork chop, right?" Alex said, laughing her ass off._

 _Piper was a shade of red that Alex had never seen before._

 _"Piper, you ate three of them!" Alex teased._

 _"Shut up! How was I supposed to know? They_ did _look like a pork chop. How was I supposed to know that someone would actually buy bull testicles and put them in our refrigerator? You could have at least labeled them, Fahri," Piper said._

 _"Next time, I will, I promise," Fahri said, wiping tears from his eyes. "Well, they are really tasty, Piper. You did a great job preparing them."_

 _"Fuck off," Piper said, laughing now._

 _"Well, if nothing else, you'll always have this story to tell," Alex said, winking at Piper._

 _Piper smiled. So what if she had just ate three bull testicles, right now she was too drunk to care anyway._

 _Alex stood up and grabbed Piper by the hand. "Come on babe, let's go see how good of an aphrodisiac these things really are."_

"That's the funniest shit I've ever heard," Nicky said after hearing the story. "She ate three of them?"

"Yep, like they were candy," Alex said laughing at the memory.

"Jesus, you two really were something, I bet. Traveling all over the world together, eating exotic food, and living the life," Nicky said.

"Yeah, we had some good times," Alex said reverently.

They both noticed Piper walk into the cafeteria. Alex stared a little longer than usual. Their eyes met.

"You miss her, don't you, Vause?"

Alex tore her eyes away from Piper, "I miss the old Piper."

* * *

A/N – I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please review. Thanks for all of your wonderful feedback so far, and special thanks to Vausemaniac for your messages this week. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. - J


	13. Chapter 13 OFF

Chapter 13

O.F.F.

Alex, Nicky, and Flaca were all in their cube before lights out. Alex was trying to read, but Nicky and Flaca were talking loudly about some of their past relationships. Mostly their conversation was about break up's and having sex with your exes. As much as Alex tried to tune them out, she kept finding herself listening in on their crazy experiences.

"You know, I once broke up with a girl, and she took it really hard. She was crying and upset, mascara running all down her face. I felt so sorry for her that we ended up having sex," Nicky said laughing.

"Yeah, sometimes, the best sex you can ever have is with your ex right after you break up. I mean, it can get really emotional, and when you think about it being the very last time that you might fuck this person, you kind of get really into it," Flaca admitted.

"Right, I call it O.F.F. One Final Fuck," Nicky explained. "Sometimes you really need that O.F.F. to get that person out of your system for good. It's good to have some kind of sexual closure to a relationship."

"You're right, Nichols, but I've had problems with sticking to just one final fuck. I once dated this guy, and we broke up and then had breakup sex, and we just kept having sex for months and months after we had broken up. It was almost like we were dating again, so I finally had to give that shit up," said Flaca.

"Not me, I'm one and done," Nicky bragged.

Alex finally had to weigh in. "So, with Morello, you were one and done, huh?"

"That was different. Actually we never had O.F.F. because we had been broken up for a long period of time before we hooked up again. Months had passed. Now, if I went to her right now and we had sex, then it would qualify as O.F.F.," Nicky explained.

"Oh, okay, Nichols. Thanks for clearing that up," Alex laughed.

Nicky looked up and noticed Red standing in the entrance of their cube.

"Can I talk to you, Nicky? In private," Red added.

Nicky looked anxious. She and Red hadn't really talked much since she had been back from Max. "Sure, Red," she said and she walked out of the cube and headed out of the dorm with Red.

Alex took this opportunity while she and Flaca were alone. "Hey, Flaca, I need to talk to you about something. Do you have a minute?" Alex asked.

"Sure, Vause, what's up?"

"Well, I know you're looking to make some extra money to help out your mom and I think I may have a way to help you."

"Okay, I'm listening," Flaca said.

Alex looked around to make sure no one was close by, and then she went and sat on the bunk next to Flaca. She spoke quietly so that no one would hear. "I have a friend that is going to get weekly 'deliveries' in a bolt of fabric from Whispers. She needs someone on the inside to retrieve this package each week and bring it to us. She's willing to pay you $50 a week."

"Holy shit, $50!" Flaca said excitedly, then calmed back down so as not to draw attention to them. "Wait, though, what exactly would I be bringing out of there if she's willing to pay so much for it?"

"It's probably best if you don't know, Flaca. Just know that it will be a small enough package to fit down your pants and all you have to do then is walk over by the greenhouse, find me, and hand it off. It'll be easy, and I know you'll be careful enough not to get caught with it," Alex urged.

"I don't know, Vause. I mean the money sounds good and all, but how am I supposed to get it out of the bolt of fabric without getting caught?"

"The bolt will be marked, and all you have to do is grab it, take it over to your table to cut out your patterns, and when no one is looking, remove the cap off the bolt and shove it in your pants."

Flaca considered it for a few minutes, then she finally said, "Okay, I'll do it. It sounds easy enough and it's only once a week, right? I can do it."

"Great!" Alex said. "Get yourself a prepaid credit card, and give me the account number and I'll make sure you get your money as soon as possible. I know you need it for your mom."

"Yeah, just one thing… this friend of yours that you're doing this for isn't Chapman, right?" Flaca asked.

"No, it's not, and Chapman doesn't need to know anything about this," Alex said.

"Good, because I'm done with that bitch. You know, just today I asked her if I could get a small raise or start wearing the panties only one day instead of two, and she basically told me to fuck off. I can't wait to tell her that she can take her dirty little panties and shove them up her bitch ass."

Alex didn't know how to respond. She didn't want to hurt Piper's business, but she really couldn't blame Flaca for feeling that way. Piper had been really unfair to her. "You do what you gotta do. No hard feelings here."

* * *

The next morning, Alex headed for the showers. It was early yet, and most everyone was still sleeping or had gone to the cafeteria early. She was just setting her stuff down, when she heard someone getting out of the shower. She looked around and there was a very naked Steely walking her way while drying her hair with a towel.

"Well, hello there," Steely said when she saw it was Alex.

"Hi, you're up early," Alex said with a smile.

She couldn't help herself from taking a long hard look at Steely's naked body. She noticed her two small tattoos, one on top of her foot and the other above her ankle. _Dear God, she has a fish tattoo too?_ She thought. She kept looking, and noticed two small scars near her abdomen. She stepped closer to Steely and reached out and touched each scar, "What happened here?"

Steely looked down at Alex's fingers touching her scars, "It's a long story. One day I will tell you about it, but right now I'd rather spend this time doing something other than talking."

It had been months since Alex had had sex, and of course that was with Piper. Now, there was another gorgeous, tall, blond standing in front of her—naked and wanting her. Alex needed a release, and sex was always the best release ever. She grabbed Steely's face and pulled her in for a kiss. Steely wrapped her leg around Alex, and Alex pushed her back against the sinks. Steely quickly worked to remove Alex's shirt and started with her bra.

Things were heating up between them, but for some unexplained reason, Alex flashed back to that time in the Chapel when Piper had dragged her in there after she had been locked up in the SHU.

 _Thanksgiving had passed and Alex still hadn't seen Piper. She couldn't believe that Healy had left her in there over Thanksgiving knowing that she would miss her visit with Larry. Alex didn't care much about her missing the visit, but she knew Healy was only doing it out of spite. Alex was making her bed when she heard Nicky from across the aisle say, "Holy shit, Chapman, you're out."_

 _Alex turned and saw the most wonderful sight ever. Piper Chapman. She had missed her. She had only been locked up a couple of days, but she really missed her. "Oh, my God…," she started to say._

 _Then Piper just grabbed her by the hand and started leading her out of the dorm._

 _"Let's get out of here," Piper said._

 _"Are you okay?" Alex asked, quickly looking back at Nicky. She was worried about how Piper handled being locked in the SHU, and she really wanted Piper to be able to talk about it with her. Maybe she could help her get it out of her system._

 _Piper never answered she just calmly dragged Alex down the hallway and into the Chapel. Alex was wondering what was up. Maybe Piper just really wanted a private place to talk._

 _When they entered the Chapel, Piper turned around and faced Alex._

 _"What are we doing here?" Alex asked, searching Piper's face for an answer._

 _Before she knew what was happening Piper had pulled her in for a hot, searing kiss._ Oh my, God, she's kissing me. Aaahhh, it's been so long, and she still tastes just as good, _Alex thought. Alex kissed her back just as hard, with just as much passion and want. She even bit her bottom lip. She knew how Piper used to love that. Their hands were all over each other, in each other's hair, pulling at their clothes. Piper had quickly gotten Alex out her shirt and in turn Alex had removed Piper's shirt. Piper was trying desperately to unhook Alex's bra. Alex laughed on the inside because she knew Piper always had trouble unhooking a bra. Piper finally just gave up, and yanked it down by the straps instead._

 _Piper lowered her head and took Alex's protruding nipple in her mouth. Alex moaned. It had been so long, but it still felt so good and so familiar being with Piper. She knew how to please Alex in a way that no one else had ever known. She pulled Piper up and kissed her again, she kissed down her neck and bit at her ear. She removed Piper's undershirt and had no problems unhooking her bra. She palmed both of Piper's breasts and continued kissing her. She kissed down neck, her shoulders, and worked her way down to her breasts. She slowly circled Piper's erect nipple with her tongue and then flicked it a few times with the tip of her tongue. While she did this, she gently pinched and twisted her other nipple. She could feel Piper's legs getting weak._

 _Piper pulled Alex back up to her mouth, and turned her and pushed her against the wall. She knelt down in front of Alex and slowly pulled down her pants and underwear at the same time. Alex stood wearing nothing but a bra that was pushed down below her breasts. If anyone walked in right now, they were screwed. They'd both be spending time in the SHU. At this moment, though, neither of them cared. All they wanted was each other. To feel something, and to be connected._

 _Piper was determined, her mouth was so close to where she needed her, and Alex was amazed at how aggressive Piper was being. It really turned her on, and she knew that if Piper breathed on her right now, she may come. They hadn't said a word to each other, and right now they didn't need to talk. They just needed to fuck._

 _Piper kissed all around Alex's mound, and then threw her leg over her shoulder. She inhaled the sweet, wonderful scent that was so Alex Vause. She kissed and sucked on her inner thigh while she ran a long finger over Alex's hard clit, she kept going down until she reached Alex's soaking wet core and she stuck two fingers inside of her. Alex inhaled sharply, and then softly moaned. "Yes, fuck me, Piper. Fuck me like you've been wanting to fuck me for so long."_

 _Piper shivered at hearing these words while being so deliciously inside her. She continued pumping her hard with two fingers, and she lowered her mouth onto Alex's sensitive nub. She sucked it slowly and thoroughly, and then used her tongue to make circles around it. She could tell by how tight Alex was getting and by how she was breathing that she was close to coming. She slammed in a third finger between thrusts and sucked and licked her hard. Alex came loudly, and with shaking legs, she collapsed to the floor pulling Piper down with her. She kissed Piper's lips, tasting herself as she did so, and she pulled Piper close to her while her breathing calmed._

 _They lay there for a while just holding each other, not saying a word. Neither knew what to say, or if words were even necessary. Piper finally said something very softly, "I've missed you, Alex."_

Steely finally managed to unhook Alex's bra when Alex snapped back to reality. She stopped kissing Steely, and pulled away. "Wait, I can't. I'm sorry, Steely, a part of me really wants to, believe me. But…"

"It's okay. I get it. It's too soon for you. You still have Piper in your system," Steely said sadly.

"I'm sorry. As much as I want her out of my head, I just can't seem to…," Alex trailed off.

"It's the heart, Vause. You can't get her out of your head because she's still in your heart," Steely said. "It's okay, though. I'm not mad. Maybe a little disappointed, but I can wait until you're ready." She grabbed Alex's hands, "Until I'm the only woman in your head and heart."

They hear something and freeze, and of course—of all the prisoners in the prison to walk in on them—of course it had to be Piper.

Piper freezes at the sight of them. Steely is naked on top of the sinks and Alex is half naked between her legs. She wanted to die. She felt like someone had just kicked her in the stomach. She somehow managed to walk past them and into the shower area. She leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. She was about to cry, and she had to regain her composure so that they would not hear her.

Alex, quickly fixed her bra and put her shirt back on. Steely started to get dressed as well.

Steely whispered to Alex, "You need to talk to her. She's probably freaked out by what she just saw. I'll catch up with you later."

Alex nodded her head, and started to walk back towards the showers. However, the fact that Steely had just slipped on a pair of Whisper's panties didn't go unnoticed. She wondered if she was wearing them for Piper, but she decided to file these thoughts and questions away until later. She waited until Steely left, then she rounded the corner, and saw Piper at the far end, leaning against the wall. When Piper saw her, she stood up and away from the wall and faced Alex's direction.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," Piper said.

"It wasn't what it looked like…," Alex was starting to explain. "Well, I mean, it may have looked like we were… but we didn't." She was having a hard time explaining this with the way Piper was looking at her.

"It's fine, Alex. You don't have to explain anything to me. We broke up, remember? You can fuck whomever you want now," Piper said with venom.

"Yeah, well, you're right, Chapman. We did break up and I _can_ fuck whomever I want because that's what you did to me first… but at least I had the decency to break up with you before I fucked someone else," Alex spat back angrily.

"So, you did fuck her?" Piper said while stepping towards Alex.

"No, I didn't fuck her," Alex was steadily closing the space between them.

Piper almost wanted to back up, Alex looked angry, and she wasn't sure what was about to happen. Before she knew it Alex was pressed against her and pushing her backwards. She had managed to grab both of Piper's hands and then pinned her against the wall. "You want to know why I didn't fuck her, Chapman?"

Piper was consumed by how close they were right now. It had been weeks since they had been this close to one another. The sexual tension between them was almost palpable. "Please, Alex, please stop calling me Chapman," Piper gasped.

Alex looked straight into Piper's beautiful blue eyes, "I didn't fuck her, _Piper_ , because I can't get you out of my mind. You're always there, _Piper_ … mind-fucking me. How do you have so much control over me?"

Piper just stared back at Alex, she wasn't sure what to say. "I don't know, Alex, but you have just as much control over me."

Alex leaned in, and while still pinning Piper to the wall, she kissed her. It was good to taste her on her lips again. With the hand that wasn't holding Piper's arms against the wall, she slowly started to feel underneath Piper's shirt. She wasn't wearing a bra, and her breasts were nice and warm, and her nipples were rock hard beneath her touch.

"Wait, Alex," Piper said between kisses, "what's happening here? I mean you were just about to fuck someone else ten minutes ago."

Alex kept kissing her, but finally said, "You know what we need to do, Piper? We need to have one final fuck so I can get you out of my system," Alex said while kissing down Piper's neck.

Alex's body felt so good pressed against hers, and her hands were slowly moving from her breast down to her waistline. Piper wanted nothing more than to fuck Alex right here and now, but what Alex just said to her… 'So I can get you out my system' really bothered her. She didn't want to be out of Alex's system. She thought, _is this what Alex really wants?_

"Wait, Alex, stop," Piper said. "Please, stop, and let me go."

Alex was confused. She thought Piper was really into it, "Why, Piper? Don't you want just one last time together?"

"No, I don't, Alex," Piper said and she grabbed her stuff and left.

Alex ran her hands through her hair. _What the fuck_ , she thought. Then she got undressed and took a shower. A cold shower.

* * *

A/N – Hope you enjoyed. I've been bored today, so I decided to do an extra chapter. Please keep reviewing and sending me your ideas. Peace - J


	14. Chapter 14 Moondance

Chapter 14

Moondance

A few days had passed since the whole shower incident thing with Alex, but Piper still couldn't get the thought of Alex wanting to have one last fling with her out of her head. _Is that what she really wants? She's ready to move on and forget about what we have?_ These questions burned in her heart, but she really needed answers. She couldn't really blame Alex for wanting to move on. It seemed she had someone new and interesting in Steely.

Things had been awkward between Piper and Steely since that day in the shower. Steely was still wearing panties for Piper, so they had to communicate about that, but they said little else to one another in their bunks. Piper was meeting Cal for visitation today, so she hoped to hear good news from him about her latest profits from the website. She had more girls than ever now wearing panties for her and she was paying them less so she expected a nice return on her investment.

Just then, Red enters their cube and sits down on Steely's bunk across from Piper. "I miss having a bottom bunk. It's tough for an old lady like me to climb on top," she said while rubbing her back.

"You should ask the guards if you can switch with me or Steely. I don't mind sleeping on top," Piper suggested.

"Then that old bird up there will think I'm weak," Red said referring to Judy King who was above Piper sleeping with her pink eye mask on. "No thank you, I'll just keep on climbing."

Piper knew that Red and Judy King had not been getting along. Red had wanted her old job back in the kitchen. She talked to Healey about it, but he told her there was nothing he could do right now. Red thought Healey was star struck by Judy King. Piper would constantly have to listen to Red and King argue about the proper way to run a kitchen.

"How's your little panty business coming along? I'm glad to see you've donated to my commissary account very generously these past couple of weeks," Red said with a smirk. "I've noticed a lot of pink bikinis around here lately. Looks like you're getting yourself back on track."

"Things have been getting better. You know, it's really been great for me with all these new inmates in here. I've been able to triple the amount of girls I had and I'm actually paying less per pair, so I'm making a great profit. Which is also great for you too, right?" Piper said with a smile.

"I'm not complaining, Blondie. I do nothing—except give you advice every now and again—and I'm getting paid very well," Red said as she noticed Vause walk by their cube. "How are things with you and Vause? Is she still your partner in the panty business?"

Piper stared at Alex as she walked by their cube. She noticed Alex look her way, and for a moment they held each other's eyes. "No, she wanted out. She didn't want me to take things to the next level."

"So you two are no longer a couple either?" Red asked.

Piper looked down at her hands, "No, she said she wanted out of that too."

"That's too bad for you, Blondie. That one really cared for you, and you pissed it away for what? A roll in the hay with some young thing with an accent that ended up stealing all of your money. Vause would have never done that to you. For some reason, she seems to love you. She gave you forgiveness when you didn't deserve it."

"You know, she also got me in here in the first place, and then lied about naming me. I forgave her for that. I'm forgiving," Piper said trying to defend herself.

Piper and Red both saw Judy King sit up and take her eye mask off. "You mean, you're dating that Vause woman? I thought you were dating the little blond girl that bunks in here."

Piper rolled her eyes at Judy King's stupid observations, "No, I'm not dating either of them, nosy. I thought you were sleeping. Were you just pretending to sleep so you could eavesdrop on us?"

"No, I was awakened by all of your chitter-chatter. I just thought you and the girl in here… oh what's her name? Sealy, Steely… whatever. I see you two exchanging underwear all the time so I thought you were some weirdo panty sniffer or something. I thought she was your prison wife. Isn't that what you call it?"

Piper was still pissed. Too pissed to even bother with this woman anymore. "Enjoy your day, Red," she said and she grabbed her toothbrush and headed towards the bathroom.

* * *

Alex had noticed Piper talking to Red when she walked by their cube. She had almost stopped in front of Piper's cube and asked if she wanted to go for a walk, but she didn't. She was still having so many mixed emotions about Piper lately. She truly missed Piper—the old Piper. This new version of Piper was harder to deal with. The old Piper was sweet and caring and probably a bit naïve. This new Piper was none of those things. Still, sometimes, Alex would look at Piper and see a bit of the old Piper still in her. That's what was making moving on from her so hard. Alex was torn between wanting Piper back and wanting to move on. The smart thing would be to move on, but now Alex was wondering if that was even possible.

Nicky had joined her in the bathroom while she was brushing her hair. "So what's the deal with you and Steely?"

Alex looked at Nicky through the mirror's reflection, "What? What are you talking about?"

"Look, I've seen the way she looks at you. She's constantly giving you those bedroom eyes and you two are up each other asses like all the time. You know, I'm starting to get a little jealous here, Vause," Nicky said winking at Alex in the mirror.

"Jealous of me or jealous of Steely?" Alex smirked.

"Jealous of everyone," Nicky laughed. "But seriously, are you two banging?"

Alex laughed, "No, we're not banging. We're just friends."

"Yeah, okay. You keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better, but I'm telling you what I see, and I see a lovesick puppy. Are you just fucking around with her to make Piper jealous?"

Alex didn't answer at first. "You know, I ran into Piper the other day in the showers and I tried to have O.F.F. with her. I'm partly blaming you for that because you got that shit stuck in my head."

"What? What the fuck, Vause?" Nicky laughed. "What happened?"

"Nothing, we didn't do anything. She stopped it, but for a moment I was really ready to do it. You know, just have her one last time so that maybe I can finally move on," Alex said.

"But is that what you really want? Do you want to move on from Piper?" Nicky asked. "I mean, I really couldn't blame you if you did, she's done a lot of pretty fucked up shit to you."

"Yeah, but I've done some pretty fucked up shit to her too," Alex admitted.

"You didn't cheat on her," Nicky said while flossing her teeth. "Maybe the two of you just need to sit down and talk about all of your feelings and shit. Get it all out there."

"I don't know, Nichols. I'm so confused lately."

"You're not the only one, Vause," Nicky said while watching Morello enter the shower area.

"Right, how are things with you and Morello these days?" Alex asked.

Nicky lowered her voice so Morello would be sure not to overhear, "Well, we actually had a decent conversation the other day. She told me that when I got sent down to Max she thought she'd never see me again. Said she got really sad and lonely and that's when she started writing to all these guys, and that's how she met her… Ugh, I can hardly say the word, Vause—husband. You think you got problems? At least you're not in love with a married woman."

"Yep, you got me there, Nichols," Alex said with a smile.

"I've said it before, Vause, and I'll say it again. Straight girls. They'll fuck you up every time. See ya later, kid," Nicky said as she gathered her things and walked out of the bathroom.

Alex finished putting on her black eyeliner and was about to leave when Piper walked in. Alex looked at Piper standing there frozen, holding her toothbrush. She looked sweet and innocent, and for a moment she remembered that girl she met so long ago.

 _A couple of weeks had passed since Alex first met Piper at the bar. She had hoped that Piper would call but she also remembered Piper's condition that night. By this point, Alex figured she had lost her number and she'd probably never hear from her again. She had to admit that this bothered her a little more than it should have. She met girls all the time. It was her job to meet girls. She had met plenty of girls in her time working for Kubra, but she had never met anyone quite like Piper Chapman. Not only was she gorgeous, with her long blond hair and beautiful blue eyes, but this girl was special. She was the right amount of smart, clever, sexy, and genuine all rolled into one beautiful package. When Alex first walked up to Piper that night in the bar, she had planned on flirting with her and eventually—in the most sincere way possible—asking her to be a drug mule. But after spending just a few moments with her, Alex knew there was something different about Piper. She was so innocent and naïve, and the way she looked at Alex. She looked at Alex as if she had known her forever, like she could see into Alex's soul. She really was disappointed that Piper had not called, and more than that she was saddened at the thought of never seeing her again._

 _Alex was with several friends at the bar one night. They were all doing rounds of Jägermeister shots and Alex was starting to feel the effects of several shots. She was making her way to the restrooms when she saw her. There was a tall beautiful blond standing directly in front of her. Alex tried to play as cool as possible, "Oh, hi… Piper, right?" she asked, knowing full well she knew her name. She had been saying that name over and over in her head since they met a few weeks ago._

 _Piper was smiling. She was so happy to see this gorgeous raven haired women standing in front of her. The bar was crowded so they were standing very close to one another. Piper hadn't lost Alex's number, in fact, she had memorized it since she had dialed it several hundred times since they met that night, but was always too chicken to press the send button. Tonight, though, she had gotten up her courage and decided to just go to the bar and she had hoped Alex would be there again. And here she was. "Yes, Piper. Piper Chapman from Park Slope."_

 _Alex just stood there taking her all in. What a heavenly sight, and they were standing so close that Alex could smell Piper's hair. The bar was loud, so Alex leaned in to whisper in Piper's ear, "Yes, Piper Chapman, a Smith Grad with excellent listening skills."_

 _Alex could hear Piper take a shaky breath when she pulled away from her. Alex felt the same, but she was just a little better at hiding it. "So what are you doing here, kid?"_

 _"Oh, I was just in the neighborhood so I thought I would stop in for a margarita. You know, since it's 20 degrees outside and all," Piper said with a sexy smile._

 _Alex laughed and smiled back at Piper, "Yeah, that sounds about right. Let me get that for you," she said as she placed her hand on the small of Piper's back and guided her towards the bar. She ordered a margarita for Piper and a Beck's Dark for herself._

 _"So, what have you been up to… Alex, right?" Piper joked._

 _"Um, yeah," Alex giggled. She didn't know if it was all the alcohol in her system right now, or if it was just being in Piper's presence, but she felt giddy. She watched Piper fidget nervously with her hands. She knew this girl liked her and she could probably ask her to do just about anything and she would do it. Alex considered again asking her to be a drug mule, but she kept pushing those thoughts out of her mind with every smile from Piper's lips. She just wanted to kiss those lips and never stop. She wanted to taste this girl and breathe in her scent. She wanted to take this sweet, innocent, gorgeous girl and ruin her._

 _Their drinks soon arrived, and they both took huge gulps. After a while, they both started to relax a little. The sexual tension between them was still thick, but it was so nice just to have a conversation with each other. They found they could talk about anything. Both were very well-read and educated. Alex told Piper that she never went to college, but she hung out on campus and had attended some film classes. Piper talked about her time at Smith College, and Alex wasn't surprised at all to find out that Piper had double majored in communication and comparative literature._

 _Alex was on her third Beck's Dark and she knew she was drunk. Piper was still on her first margarita and was barely tipsy. Alex kept thinking how the roles were definitely reversed tonight. She was now the one talking constantly about who knows what while Piper still had her senses about her. But by this point, she was too drunk to care. Sometimes she needed to let loose and be herself, and she felt she could do that with Piper. She hadn't known her long, but she felt like she had always known her. Alex suddenly had a bold idea._

 _"Dance with me," she said to Piper while pulling her away from the bar towards the dance floor._

 _"Wait, um, Alex, wait. I… um, I'm not a really good dancer. You probably don't want to embarrass yourself with me," Piper said._

 _"Come on, I'm not worried," Alex said as she continued dragging Piper to the center of the floor. The song playing was slow and sexy, so she pulled Piper close and put her arms around her waist. Piper put her long, slender arms around Alex's neck. Being this close to Alex was making Piper's whole body tremble. Alex's body felt wonderful against her. Piper was thankful that Alex was such a good dancer because it made her feel a bit more confident too. She relaxed more and just enjoyed the moment._

 _After a while they both became hot and decided to have a couple more drinks at the bar. Piper had one more margarita and Alex had a Jägerbomb. She knew she'd feel like shit in the morning anyway, so what was one more drink. She was feeling extremely bold by this point too, so she asked Piper, "Do you wanna get out of here?"_

 _Piper could hardly contain her excitement, but she didn't show it. She answered coolly, "Yes, I'd love to."_

 _Piper got them a taxi, and Alex gave the driver the address. She couldn't take Piper to her place. Not tonight. "We're going to my friend Rachel's. She's not there this weekend, so I'm watching her place for her. She has a cat." Alex wasn't sure why she said that. Rachel didn't have a cat._

 _The taxi arrived at Rachel's and Alex paid the driver and they both made their way up the stairs to Rachel's apartment. They were both stumbling a little up the stairs and for some reason this was the funniest thing ever to them. They couldn't stop laughing about it. They finally reached the door and Alex unlocked it and held the door open for Piper. Rachel's place was small, but neat. Piper immediately noticed a record player and hundreds of albums. She went over and started flipping through them while Alex lit some candles. She ran across Van Morrison's_ Moondance _album and put that on._

 _"Mmm, good choice," Alex said. "One of my favorites."_

 _Piper started to dance again. This time she didn't care because it was only Alex watching, and she was just fine with that. Alex joined her. She pulled her even closer now and buried her face in Piper's hair. Piper's head was resting on Alex's shoulder and she closed her eyes and relaxed in her arms. If she died right now, she could not have been happier. They stayed this way for a long time, holding each other close while gently swaying to_ Crazy Love _in the background._

 _Being this close was slowly driving Piper insane. She could feel Alex's breath on her neck, and the way Alex was rubbing her hands up and down her body was almost too much to handle. By the time_ Into the Mystic _started playing, Piper couldn't resist any longer. She lifted her head from Alex's shoulder, and grabbed Alex's face with both hands and kissed her. Their first official kiss. It was a slow and soft kiss, Alex's lips were so soft and she tasted like black licorice—from the Jäger, Piper assumed. She felt Alex's breath hitch, and she deepened the kiss. Piper wasn't usually one to initiate things, but she couldn't help herself. She didn't want to spend another second not knowing how it felt to kiss Alex Vause._

 _Alex was busy unbuttoning Piper's shirt when a cell phone started ringing._ Fuck! _She thought. She figured it was Fahri, and started looking around for her phone. However, she was surprised when she realized it wasn't her ringtone and she saw Piper grab her cell phone from her purse._

 _"Fuck, Polly!" was all Piper said as she answered the ringing phone._

 _Alex went into the kitchen to give Piper some privacy._

 _Five minutes later Piper came into the kitchen with a sad look on her face. "Alex, I'm sorry but I have to go. My stupid friend, Polly, is drunk and at a club downtown and doesn't have money for a taxi. I have to go help her."_

 _Alex smiled at the sad faced girl standing before her. Her shirt half unbuttoned and her hair messy. There's no way she could ever be mad at this girl. "It's okay, Piper. I understand. We all have that one friend, you know?"_

 _"Yeah, well I'm going to kill her," Piper said with a cute little smirk._

 _"Don't do that. I wouldn't want you getting into trouble and going away to some girl prison," Alex teased._

 _Piper looked at Alex for a moment. All Alex could see was innocence. She moved across the room and grabbed Piper's face and kissed her again. She kissed her like she may never see her again, because who knows? She might not… but she really hoped she would._

Standing before Alex now, Piper had that same look on her face. She found it almost impossible to resist, but she knew she had to. She didn't need to do something stupid again like in the showers a few days ago.

"Look, Piper, about the other day. I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking…" Alex trailed off.

"Did you really mean that, Alex?" Piper asked. "Do you really want me out of your system? Because I've thought about and I wondered if I could do that… and the truth is, I don't think I can. I don't want you out of my system, and it really scares me to think that you do. I mean, are you really done with me? Are we really over, Alex?"

"Pipes, I don't know," Alex said running her hands through her hair. "I don't know what I want right now, but I would like to talk to you. In private, somehow. I think there's a lot we've left unsaid for too long, and I think it would do us both good to get it out there."

Tears started streaming down Piper's face, and Alex was confused. "Jesus, what is it?" she asked Piper while stepping closer to her.

"You just called me 'Pipes'," Piper sniffed and wiped her face, "that's like the nicest thing you've said to me in weeks."

Alex smiled, "Yeah, well, it just feels natural. You'll always be my 'Pipes'."

Piper smiled back at Alex. For the first time in weeks, she felt hopeful.

"Can you make it over to the greenhouse tomorrow afternoon after your shift?" Alex asked. "I think I can arrange it so that we can have some privacy to talk for a while."

"Yeah, I think I can do that," Piper replied.

"Okay, see you then, Pipes."

* * *

A/N – I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Fanfiction's website has been messed up all week so I cannot see any stats. I guess you're still reading though because I'm still getting reviews. So, please review again that way I'll know you're reading. Hopefully they'll get the stats fixed soon. Have a great week - J


	15. Chapter 15 Situation Normal

Chapter 15

Situation Normal

Piper was getting dressed for the day. This was the first day in a long while that she had felt this happy when she first woke up. She was hopeful that she and Alex could talk things out when they meet later. She kept thinking about Alex calling her 'Pipes'. She was astounded at how a simple little nickname could make her heart skip a beat when it came off the lips of Alex. That was the nickname Alex gave her long ago, and it was special to her. She didn't mind other people using it too, although she always felt weird when Larry called her 'Pipes'.

"What are you so smiley about, Chapman?" Steely asked as she was sitting in her bunk reading.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Piper replied with a hint of sarcasm.

"Yeah, that's why I asked, actually. It's been a while since I have seen you so—I don't know, what's the word—chipper."

"I'm just in a really great mood today, Steely. The sun is shining, it's not too cold outside yet, and I have a feeling that today's going to be a wonderful day," Piper stated in a dramatic fashion. Piper wasn't going to give too much away. She didn't quite get this Steely girl yet. Sure, she was jealous of Steely a bit, but sometimes she could be genuinely nice so it was hard to completely hate her. However, deep down Piper was hoping that Steely suspected her happiness had something to do with Alex.

"Great, Chapman. I truly hope you have that wonderful day," Steely said standing up and grabbing a plastic baggie of undies to give to Piper.

"Oh, thanks. Hey listen… fucking King has noticed us exchanging panties. I don't want her having any knowledge of my little business, so let's just be more careful when she's around. Red is cool, but not King. I don't like her," Piper said as she was looking around to make sure King was lurking around.

"Well, you and Red are about the only two around here that don't. She's definitely got some groupies. She's becoming a force to be reckoned with. Have you seen how many girls she has following her around?" Steely asked.

"Yeah, it's like she's the new Norma… or maybe the new Vee," Piper surmised. "I just heard yesterday that someone was bringing drugs back in again. Maybe it's her."

"Okay, I'm not sure who Norma and Vee are, but I doubt King is running drugs. She's too… I don't know. Uppity. There are so many women in here now, it could be anyone," Steely suggested.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. There are tons of people here now. You know, I heard the SHU is still so overcrowded that they are sticking two or three people together in a cell. Can you imagine?"

"Right, it sucks. Unless you're stuck in there with several hot girls," Steely smiled and winked.

Piper smirked and rolled her eyes.

"Just keeping it real, Chapman. Catch you later," Steely said as she walked away.

* * *

Alex was already hard at work taking manure over to the garden area. Sure, hauling manure sucked, but today she had the faintest trace of a smile on her face. She was both thrilled and terrified about talking to Piper later today. She wasn't sure how it was going to go. She wasn't sure if they could work things out, but she had a lot she wanted to get off her chest. She was hopeful that by the time they were done talking, at least something would be resolved—one way or the other.

Alex noticed Red was working in the garden on her knees and she felt kind of sorry for her. She knew Red had back problems and it was probably killing her to be out here instead of in the kitchen now. Red looked up and noticed Alex was watching her. She stood up, wiping her hands on her pants, and signaled for Alex to walk over. Alex pushed the heavy wheelbarrow over by Red.

"Vause, can I talk to you for a moment?" Red asked.

"Sure, what can I do for you?" Alex asked while setting the wheelbarrow down and removing her gloves.

"You're tight with Nicky, right? I mean you bunk together, you talk a lot, and you consider her a friend, right?"

"Yeah, we're pretty tight. Why?" Alex asked curiously.

"I would like it if you would keep a close eye on her for me," Red said in her thick Russian accent.

"Okay," Alex laughed a little. "What exactly am I watching her for?"

"There are drugs in here again. Nicky just spent time at Max and she almost slipped. I don't want her slipping. Do you understand, Vause?"

Alex was a little rattled by the fact that Red knew drugs were back in the prison again. She felt scared for a moment. God, she hated doing this. She didn't want to be this person anymore. The drug importer, as she liked to call it. Honestly it was just a fancy way of trying to cover up the truth. She was drug dealer. Not really any different than the guy on the street peddling drugs to kids and junkies. The last thing Alex would ever want was for Nicky to start using again because of the shit she was selling.

"I understand, and I promise you that I will keep an eye on her. I've used before too, so I know the signs and what to look for. I'll keep her safe," Alex said.

"Thank you, Vause. I just know how she's hurting right now because of Lorna."

"Yeah, well I think they've made a little progress lately. They've at least talked without Nicky flying off the handle," said Alex.

"I've asked Lorna to keep an eye on her too at work. She was a little reluctant, but I know deep down she still cares for Nicky. Those two became really close while you were out, Vause."

"Yeah, I can tell."

"How are things with you and Chapman? She seemed unusually happy this morning," Red smirked while looking at Alex.

Alex's heart warmed at that thought. "I'm not sure exactly, but I'm hoping that we can at least talk and figure some shit out."

"And what's going on with you and Banks?" Red asked.

Alex felt like she was being interrogated. She and Red had never had this long of a conversation ever, but she humored her.

"Banks and I are close, but we're just friends," Alex said with a laugh.

"You should be careful with those two. Jealousy is a motherfucker. It's bad enough King and I don't get along in our little cube. It would be worse if Chapman and Banks were going at it too," Red shook her head at the thought.

Alex sighed, "Yeah that would be terrible. I'll be careful, Red."

"Speaking of your little side chick," Red said while nodding her head towards the yard.

Steely was headed her way.

"Keep me updated on how Nicky is doing, okay, Vause?" Red said while getting back down on her knees to continue weeding.

"Will do," Alex said as she grabbed the wheelbarrow and pushed towards Steely.

"I never thought anything to do with a wheelbarrow full of shit could ever look so good," Steely said smiling at Alex.

"Hot shit, right?" Alex smirked.

"Definitely," she said as she looked Alex up and down.

Alex had no idea how she was going to proceed with Steely. She liked her a lot—whether just as a friend or maybe something more—she wasn't sure right now. She didn't want to ruin their working relationship either because right now she really needed her help with the drugs. She was good at it, and they made a good team. Selling was easy, there was plenty of demand. Other parts of it were trickier, especially trying to keep it from everyone Alex cared about. She knew it was only a matter of time before word got around though. Now she was worried more than ever that Piper would find out. She didn't want Piper to know about any of it. She wanted to protect her from Aydin and Kubra, and she also didn't want Piper to think any less of her for selling drugs again. Alex was deep in her thoughts when she finally heard Steely.

"Alex, that fucking smarmy guard is headed over," Steely said while staring down Aydin who was headed their way.

"Inmate Vause, a word?" he said as he grabbed Alex by the arm and pulled her away from Steely and everyone else.

Alex snatched her arm away finally, and angrily said, "What?"

"One of your girls hasn't paid yet. Today is Friday so that means you have until the end of today to figure out who the fuck it is and get them to pay. Later today I'll send you to get some shit from the commissary and you can handle it then. Got it?"

"Yeah, got it," Alex said and walked back towards Steely.

"What's his problem with you? He's not aggressive like that with any of the other girls," Steely asked. "Maybe you should report him."

"Who knows? Maybe I remind him of someone from his past," Alex said.

* * *

Piper was watching the clock in between sewing pairs of Whispers panties. She was working next to Cindy and Frieda, and she was listening to Cindy talk about the latest gossip. Apparently Poussey and Soso were a thing now, and Suzanne was being courted by some girl named Maureen. Piper thought it was funny that Cindy had made up ship names for the couples, and she thought it was even funnier that Cindy had to explain to Frieda what a ship name was.

"A ship name is when you combine the couple's names together. Like Poussoso and Mauranne. Damn woman, don't you watch TV? You've never heard of Brangelina or Kimye?" Cindy asked Frieda.

"Who-yay?" Frieda was confused.

Piper was laughing at their antics. "I just realized that if you two were a couple your ship name could be Friendy."

"Cute, Chapman. You've had like three ship names since you've been here," Cindy pointed out.

"Three?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, three," Cindy counted down on her fingers. "Vauseman, Chaplin, and Crazy White Girl with Crazy Radio Dude."

Piper just looked at Cindy like what the fuck. "Okay, that last one doesn't count. There are no names combined in that."

Cindy laughed, "Yeah well, we didn't know you that well back then. You were just Crazy White Girl to us."

Piper noticed Flaca over by the cutting table, and she went over to talk to her. She had not dropped off her panties in days and Piper was wondering what was up. After meeting with Cal yesterday, she had learned that Flaca's panties were the number one best seller on the website. She thought maybe it was time she started to let Flaca wear more undies per week.

"You know, Flaca, I've been thinking and I've decided to do you a favor and let you start wearing more panties each week. That means more money for you, and you can help your mom now," Piper said.

Flaca looked at Piper and laughed. "You know what, Chapman? You can take your little panties and shove them right up your ass. I don't need your charity. I'm doing just fine on my own. I quit."

Piper just stood there with her mouth half open to say something, but Flaca had already turned and walked off. _Fucking, Flaca!_ She looked at the clock again. Only a few more minutes in this place and she could finally get out of here and go see Alex.

* * *

Steely and Lolly were working together in the yard. Steely was teasing Lolly about seeing Elvis on the subway once.

"Yeah, and there he was a few seats over from me on the train to Coney Island. He was fat, bald, and had an Amish beard, but it was most definitely Elvis," Steely said with the straightest face possible.

"Yep, I told you. Elvis did not leave the building. He switched places with an impersonator to get away from the mafia or some shit like that," Lolly explained.

Just then Steely saw Aydin making his way toward Alex who was working near the greenhouse. She saw him grab her by the arm again and push her into the greenhouse.

"Hey, Whitehill, what's up with that guard? Why is he always getting rough with Alex?" Steely asked.

"Ah, that's the toothpick guard. He's super creepy. I keep telling Vause to watch her back with that one. He looks like a hitman or something," Lolly said.

Steely put down her shovel and started making her way toward the greenhouse.

By the time she got there, Alex was already coming out.

"Did he hurt you, Alex? What the fuck is his problem?" Steely said angrily staring towards the greenhouse.

"No, he wants me to go pick up some shit from the commissary. Hey listen, while I'm over there, I need to handle a situation with one of the girls. One of them hasn't paid yet, and I have a pretty good idea which one. I need to make sure she gets the payment wired today."

"Okay, do you want me to go with you? I'm off in like five minutes anyway," Steely offered.

"No, I really need you to stay here and do me a huge favor," Alex said.

"Okay, what is it?"

"Piper was supposed to meet me here after her shift. I need you to wait for her and tell her that I got sent on an errand by the guard and that I will be back in about an hour. Can you do that for me?" Alex asked while rubbing Steely's shoulder.

"Um, yeah, sure. Okay. I'll just wait here for your ex so that I can pass her your love note. No problem," Steely said, half joking.

"Sorry, but it's really important and if I don't go now that dickhead guard is going to have a coronary. Which might not be a bad thing," Alex said with a smile.

"Okay, Vause, go do your thing. I got this," Steely said.

"Thanks, I owe you one," Alex said and she walked away quickly towards the building.

Steely stood there thinking. The wheels in her clever little head were turning quickly now. Something was up with this guard. Why was he singling out Alex all of the time? It was like he had something over her. Something that Alex wasn't telling her. _Alex is in there five minutes with him and then suddenly she realized that a girl hadn't paid yet. Is he her contact on the outside? Is he the one running things? Wait, didn't Piper say that Alex was paranoid that her former drug boss was going to send someone in here to kill her? Is that what he is? A hitman like Lolly said?_ Steely's head was spinning with all these questions.

Steely thought she may have just figured out a big part of this puzzle. She always wondered why Alex didn't care which one of them appeared to be the drug 'boss'. Alex wasn't doing this for power or to make money, she was doing this because she was being forced into doing it. She needed answers from Alex. She took off after her.

* * *

Several minutes later Piper showed up at the greenhouse looking for Alex. She didn't see her anywhere and she thought that was odd. A little part of her was worried that Alex had changed her mind about meeting. She saw Lolly over across the yard, so she walked over to her.

"Hi, Lolly. Have you seen Alex?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, she and Banks ran off into the building a while ago," Lolly said. "Maybe to the chapel."

"What? The chapel?" Piper could feel her face getting hot.

"The chapel, yeah, isn't that where all the couples go to… you know? To do couple-y things."

"They're a couple now?" Piper's voice was getting louder.

"I don't know. That's what everyone is saying. They look like a couple to me, but what do I know?" Lolly said shrugging her shoulders and then turning and heading towards the greenhouse.

Piper was furious. Why would Alex tell her to meet her here today if she was going to just run off with Steely? _Was this her idea of some kind of sick joke? Some kind of payback? That's pretty fucked up,_ Piper thought. She felt like she had been sucker punched in the heart. All day long she had been looking so forward to this moment, and now it was _all fucked up_. She wiped the tears that were starting to fall down her cheeks, and she started off towards the building. She was determined to find out once and for all what the fuck was going on with Alex and Steely.

* * *

Alex found the girl that she suspected had not paid yet, and sure enough after some pressuring the girl cracked. She said that she was having trouble getting her family to put money into her account so that she could make the transfer. Alex escorted her to the payphones and stood there while the girl called several family members and begged them for money. On her fourth phone call the girl finally convinced someone to put money in her account. Alex told her she would check back with her after dinner to make sure she had transferred the money to pay for the drugs. She warned her there would be severe consequences if she didn't. What those severe consequences were, Alex had no idea. She just figured if she sounded threatening enough this little junkie would do as she was told.

Alex was heading to the commissary when she ran into Steely. Steely looked frantic, and for a moment Alex thought that something had happened with Piper.

"Steely, what's going on? Did you see Piper?" Alex asked.

"No, I had to come find you. I need to talk to you right now. In private," she demanded.

Alex wasn't sure what this was about but from the look on Steely's face it couldn't be good. "Okay, let's go to the chapel. Maybe no one is in there right now."

They both headed toward the chapel's side entrance and went in. Neither noticed Piper watching them from the far end of the corridor.

* * *

Piper was devastated. Here she stood watching the love of her life waltz into the chapel—their chapel—with some other girl. She felt like she had lost Alex forever now. Alex was obviously moving on with her life and Piper now realized she wasn't going to be a part of it. Maybe this was Alex's plan all along. Maybe she really didn't want to talk things out, and she only wanted to shove her relationship with Steely in her face. Still, Piper had some fleeting glimpse of hope that maybe they just went into the chapel to talk. _Yeah, right, Piper, because that's what everyone goes to the chapel to do—to talk._

Still, some dark twisted part of her needed to know for certain what was going on in there. She walked slowly and quietly towards the side entrance door and cracked it just a little to hear what was going on. She instantly regretted it. She could hear soft moans, kissing or sucking sounds, and heavy breathing. She closed the door quickly, and covered her mouth and ran for the bathroom. She felt sick.

* * *

A/N – What the fuck, right? What's going on in the chapel? I know everyone is ready for Piper and Alex to get back together (and so am I), but they still have a little ways to go in this story. Soon though, I promise. It'll be worth the wait. Have a great weekend! Those of us in the US have a long weekend, and I am looking forward to it. Maybe I can squeeze in another chapter this weekend. Peace - J


	16. Chapter 16 Communication Breakdown

Chapter 16

Communication Breakdown

 _Still, some dark twisted part of her needed to know for certain what was going on in there. She walked slowly and quietly towards the side entrance door and cracked it just a little to hear what was going on. She instantly regretted it. She could hear soft moans, kissing or sucking sounds, and heavy breathing. She closed the door quickly, and covered her mouth and ran for the bathroom. She felt sick._

If Piper would have waited another ten minutes she would have seen who was really inside the chapel, but she had assumed that what she had heard were Alex and Steely since she had seen them walk in there together. But Piper assumed the worst, and the thought of Steely making love to Alex—her Alex—made her physically ill. She sat kneeling in front of the toilet, crying and retching her guts out. She felt broken and betrayed like her very existence had just been crushed. _How could Alex be so cruel?_ She thought.

She finally got up and went to the sink and rinsed her mouth out and splashed some cool water on her face. She looked at herself in the mirror, and then she punched her reflection. The mirror cracked and pieces of it fell down onto the sink. Her knuckles were bleeding—again, and she had several small cuts. "Fuck you, Alex," she said to the shattered mirror. She left the bathroom and headed down the corridor, slowly as if in a daze. She didn't know where to go. She didn't want to go to her bunk because she was afraid of seeing Alex, or worse, Steely's smug face. She just wanted to get away, and she wanted something to numb the pain.

She ended up in the library. She was looking for one person in particular that may have something that would help. She found her sorting through a stack of books, humming a song, and looking happier than she had seen her in months. "Hey, Poussey," Piper said somberly.

Poussey looked up from her stack of books and saw Chapman standing there looking like someone who had lost their best friend. She also noticed her bloody knuckles and tear streaked face. "Yo, Chapman, what's going on? Did you get into a fight or something?"

"Not really a fight, unless you call punching yourself in the mirror a fight."

Poussey stepped towards her carefully, and pointed at her hand. "You're pretty cut up there, Chapman. Let me take a look at that," and she took Piper's hand carefully and examined it. "Damn, girl. You may need some stitches; some of these cuts are pretty deep."

"No, I'm fine. It'll stop bleeding soon. But I could use your help with something else," Piper looked at her with pleading eyes. "I need a little something to take the edge off… you know? Do you have anything that could help me with that? I can put whatever you want into your commissary account, I just need to…" She couldn't finish her sentence, she felt like she might start to cry again.

"Yeah, Chapman. I can hook you up. Keep watch for me for a second, okay?"

Piper kept watch and made sure no one noticed Poussey. She watched her open up a ceiling tile and grab down a juice carton full of her signature hooch. It wasn't Pinot Grigio, but Piper knew it was much stronger and it would definitely get her numb. At least for a while anyway.

"Here you go, Chapman. It will feel a little awkward, but you can stick this down your pants and walk out with it. Just don't get caught with it. You're going to need to sip it slowly. Don't drink it too fast or you'll be real fucked up," Poussey said while covertly handing over the small juice carton to Piper.

"Thanks, Poussey. I really appreciate it," Piper said as she stuffed the carton into her pants, and yes, it did feel awkward.

"Hey, if you need a quiet place to sit and drink, try the chapel. It always worked for me," Poussey suggested.

"No, thanks. Had enough chapel for today," Piper said as she walked away.

* * *

After walking into the chapel, and awkwardly interrupting the two lovers who were making out behind the pulpit, Alex and Steely quickly exited out the rear doors. They found a quiet place to talk in the rec room at a table in the far corner.

"Okay, so what's going on?" Alex asked Steely who was seated across from her.

"It's that guard, Alex. He's got something he's holding over you. I can tell. I just want you to tell me the truth about what's going on. Does he work for your former drug boss? Are they pressuring you to sell the drugs?"

Alex wasn't too surprised that Steely had caught on. Aydin wasn't being very discreet, and Steely was a smart girl. "Yes, you're right. His name is Aydin, and he works for my former boss and I thought he was sent in here to kill me, but actually instead of killing me he wants me to sell drugs. If I don't sell them, he will kill me and… he'll kill Piper first just to hurt me."

"Fuck. Why didn't you tell me this from the beginning, Vause? Now you're putting my life in danger too. I don't want to get involved with a drug cartel. My father was involved with a cartel and it destroyed my whole family. Fuck, Alex!" Steely was upset and on the verge of tears.

"Look, Steely. I'm really sorry I didn't tell you upfront. I should have, but I was trying to protect you by not getting you any more involved in this than you already are. The less you know about him, the better. Trust me," Alex said, then instantly regretted saying that last part.

"Trust you? How can I trust you when all you do is lie to me? The more I think about it, I can see now that you've probably just been playing me all along. Pretending to like me so that I can do all of your dirty work for you, and all the while you're still hot for your ex. You're doing everything in your power to protect Piper, and you could give a shit about me."

Alex could see that Steely seemed genuinely hurt. "Yes, I am trying to protect Piper, but I'm not playing you. I've been honest with you about my feelings for Piper and how I'm not sure what's going on between us right now. I wasn't honest with you about my reasons for selling drugs, but honestly, I was just trying to keep you safe too. I don't want to see anyone I care about hurt by this whole fucked up situation because of me."

Steely seemed to warm a little at the thought that Alex considered her someone she cared about. "So, Piper has no idea that your paranoia was really justified?" Steely said shaking her head in disbelief. "Man, is she going to feel like an ass when she finds out."

"No, I haven't told Piper about Aydin. The funny thing is, she met him once or twice when we were together before, but she obviously doesn't remember him. She can be a little self-absorbed at times," Alex explained while rolling her eyes. "Honestly, I really do not want Piper to find out about Aydin. Yes, I would love to say 'I told you so' to her, but it's too risky for her to find out. I really hope you understand, and that you'll keep this between us and not say anything to Piper."

"I'll keep your secret Vause, but think about this. This girl you're working so hard to protect… she deserted you at your most vulnerable point, when you were afraid for your life and needed her. And here you are vulnerable again, you need me… and you know what? I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you," Steely said as she reached for Alex's hand and rubbed it with her thumb.

"Again, I'm really sorry for not telling you this upfront, and I really appreciate you sticking with me. From now on, total disclosure. No more secrets, okay?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, no more secrets Vause or I'm done," Steely said as she stood up to leave.

Alex was relieved that Steely had calmed down, and was still planning on working with her. She trusted her not to tell Piper. _Shit, Piper!_ With everything going on with Aydin and Steely, Alex had forgotten that no one was there to give Piper her message when she showed up after her shift. Alex had to find her. She needed to give her some kind of explanation as to why she wasn't there.

* * *

Piper had taken her juice carton straight to the cafeteria. She got her dinner tray and sat the box on her tray like it belonged there. She sat down at a table with Morello and Big Boo.

"Jesus, Chapman, what the fuck happened to your hand?" Boo asked while gawking at Piper's blood stained hand.

"I had a little accident," was all Piper offered to explain. She sat down and opened her juice container and took a big gulp.

"You look like shit, Chapman. You sure you're okay?" Lorna asked.

"Oh, I'm just fine. Best day ever," Piper began, "but thank you for telling me that I look like shit. You know, you look a little shitty too, Morello. Your hair is all out of place, your lipstick is smeared, and your face looks flushed. Are you sure _you're_ okay?"

"I'm fine, Chapman. I've just been working really hard today, so you'll have to forgive my appearance," Lorna said while trying to smooth down her hair. "At least I'm not all bloody like you."

"Right, Chapman, it looks like you just got done fisting Carrie on prom night," Boo joked.

Piper took another huge gulp. She was already starting to feel the effects. Her legs felt warm and tingly and suddenly everything Boo and Lorna were saying was fucking hilarious. By this point she had stopped attempting to eat anything and was sticking to just the juice container.

After a while Piper had finished off the hooch, everyone was finished eating and was starting to take their trays to the trash. Piper stood up, and she was pretty dizzy. She had grabbed her almost full tray, and started towards the trash can when she noticed Judy King sitting at her table surrounded by all of her girls. She didn't know what made her do it—maybe it was the liquid courage from the hooch—but before she could stop herself she had 'accidentally' spilled her tray all over the top of Judy King's head.

"Son of a bitch," the southern redhead said as she stood up, wiping the food from her face, hair and clothes.

Piper stood there smiling, before she realized she needed to play it cool and not look like she did this on purpose. "Oh my gosh," she said, "I'm so sorry, I just tripped and lost control of my tray."

"She did that shit on purpose, I watched her," said one of King's girls.

Judy King then shoved Piper into the wall by the trash can and had her forearm pressed into Piper's throat. "What are you playing at, Chapman? You do not want to make an enemy of me," she warned.

"Fuck you," Piper said and she pushed her back hard. King almost stumbled and fell, but she managed to catch herself.

A guard made his way over and told them to calm down or they were all getting shots. Piper figured now was the best time to get the hell out of here before any of the guards realized she was drunk. She glared at King, and pushed into her shoulder as she walked by.

She felt awful. The hooch had hit her pretty hard, and the numbness she felt initially was starting to subside. Thoughts of Alex and Steely in the chapel were starting to creep back into her mind. She knew she didn't want to risk running into either of them right now, so she headed straight to her bunk, threw the covers over her head and passed out. She hoped King wouldn't kill her in her sleep, but right now she didn't care if she did.

* * *

Alex had been looking for Piper everywhere and she couldn't find her. She went by the dorms first, but she wasn't there. She checked outside, she went back by the rec room, and she even checked by the library to see if she was there. The library had kind of become their special place when Alex first returned. They had plenty of hate-sex in here. It was almost the best sex they had ever had. There was so much emotion involved with it, and so much urgency and need and want. Alex still felt strangely aroused whenever she came in here. She decided to check by the bathroom, but the only person she found in there was Nicky. It looked like she was cleaning up some glass from one of the mirrors.

"So who got the seven years of bad luck?" Alex asked her curly haired friend.

"Fuck if I know. They just told me to get down here and clean it up before some of these crazy girls started making shanks from the pieces of glass. So here I am," Nicky explained. "Oh, and hey, sorry about earlier at the chapel today."

"Yeah, that was really fucking awkward, but oh my God! You and Lorna? What happened? I need details," Alex said.

"I don't really know. We were working together today, and I kept noticing her watching me. She was looking at me how she used to, you know? Like when she wanted to have sex. I knew it was wrong, Vause, but I wanted to so bad, and I guess she did too, because all of a sudden she walked over to me and just started kissing me. Next thing I know, we're in the chapel getting interrupted by you. And Steely, huh?"

"It's not what you think," Alex said defensively. "We just needed a private place to talk."

"Yeah, sure, Vause. I hope you found it," Nicky smirked.

"Hey, Nicky have you seen Piper around?" Alex asked.

"Nah, I haven't seen her all day. Why?"

"Nothing. It's just a communication breakdown, I guess. We were supposed to meet at the greenhouse today after her shift, you know to talk about things, but I got sent on an errand by the guard and she probably showed up and I wasn't there. I just want to find her and explain what happened. If you see her, will you tell her I'm looking for her? I'm going to the cafeteria now, maybe I'll run into her there."

"Sure, Vause. If I see her I'll tell her that her favorite stalk of celery is looking for her."

Alex laughed. It was great to see Nicky in a good mood.

She walked down to the cafeteria, and scanned the tables for her favorite blond. She didn't see her. She noticed Judy King was covered in what looked like slop, and she was cleaning up the table and floor around her. She wondered what happened, but didn't care enough to ask.

She sat with Lolly and Yoga Jones. Half way through dinner, Alex thought to ask Lolly if she had seen Piper by the greenhouse today.

"Oh yeah, I saw her. She was looking for you, I think. She asked if I knew where you were," Lolly said while chewing her food.

"What did you tell her?" Alex asked.

"Let me think… Oh yeah, it was right after you had taken off towards the building and then Steely followed you. I told her you two had probably gone to the chapel together."

Yoga Jones and Alex both stopped and stared at Lolly.

"What?" Lolly asked innocently.

"You told her that I went to the chapel with Steely? Why the fuck would you tell her that? We didn't go to the chapel… well, we did, but we didn't go there to… I can't fucking believe you told her that," Alex was flustered.

"What? I thought the chapel was where all the couples went," Lolly said.

"We're not a couple, Lolly."

"You're not? I thought you were. That's what everyone is saying anyway."

"I have to go. I have to find Piper and explain this shit," Alex said while picking up her tray to leave.

"Why is she so pissed off?" Lolly asked Yoga Jones.

Yoga Jones just stared at Lolly, "You know she and Chapman were a couple, right?"

"What? Nah, I didn't know that." Lolly finally caught on, "Oh shit! That's why she's pissed."

* * *

Alex had returned to the dorms to see if Piper was there yet. She went by Piper's cube and thought no one was there, but then she noticed a lump under the cover. She walked over by her bunk, and pulled the covers back. And there she was. She was sleeping soundly. She hadn't even bothered changing out of her clothes. Alex also noticed her hand was covered in dried blood and cuts. _What the fuck did she do?_ Alex wondered. She knelt down by her bed, and gently rubbed Piper's hair from her face.

"Pipes," she whispered, but Piper didn't stir. She guessed that Piper was pretty pissed at her and she probably thought she and Steely had gone to the chapel to fuck. She must have been the one that broke the mirror in the bathroom.

She whispered again, "Pipes, I know I fucked up, but I really want to explain." Still nothing from Piper. She figured the best thing to do right now was to let Piper sleep, and catch her first thing in the morning. So she gently kissed her forehead, covered her back up, and left to head towards her cube.

Piper's eyes opened briefly to watch Alex walk away, then she fell back asleep.

* * *

A/N – Well, at least we know who was in the chapel now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please review if you have a few moments to spare. Thanks! - J


	17. Chapter 17 It's Complicated

Chapter 17

It's Complicated

Piper awoke the next morning with a hangover from hell. She noticed Red and Steely were already gone, and she was thankful that she didn't have to see Steely at all. She vaguely remembered Alex coming by her bunk last night. She recalled Alex saying that she knew she had fucked up but she really wanted to explain things. Piper wasn't sure she wanted an explanation. It was pretty clear to her what was going on—Alex was with Steely now, and for some reason she just wanted to shove their relationship in her face.

She pushed the covers off her and tried to sit up. The throbbing in her head was terrible, and she was incredibly dizzy. She sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed and held her head in her heads while she tried to steady her spinning head. All of a sudden someone was there. She could see their shoes while her head was held down. _Fuck, Alex. I really can't deal with you right now,_ Piper thought and looked up. But it wasn't Alex, it was Judy King and she was hovering over Piper with her arms folded. Then Piper remembered what she had done to her in the cafeteria yesterday.

"What the fuck do you want, King? I'm really not in the mood for any of your bullshit today," Piper said while looking up at the angry red head.

"I don't know what the hell you were up to yesterday, but if pull that shit again I'll make you pay. You don't want to fuck with me, Chapman. Do you realize who I am? My popularity in here has soared to new heights, and any one of my girls would tear your spoiled little rich ass apart. All I have to do is ask," King said with venom.

Piper was angry that this woman was threatening her. She wanted to stand up and beat the shit out of this woman, she wanted to tell her off and let her know that she was just a washed up has-been that thought being popular in prison really meant something. But her killer hangover was preventing her from doing much of anything right now. She kept listening to King nagging on and on ad nauseam, and finally Piper did the only thing she could do. She didn't even try to hold back, she just let it go. She hurled all over Judy King's feet.

King just stood there frozen, looking down at the mess on her shoes. Piper wiped her mouth and finally felt well enough to stand up. She stood up to King, and looked down at her feet. "You got something on your shoes, King. Better have one of your girls take care of that." Then she grabbed her toiletries and headed for the showers, smiling the whole way.

When she finally got to the showers, hardly anyone was in there. She was hoping this meant there would be some hot water because she really needed it right now. Her head was still throbbing and every thought she had was of Alex and Steely in the chapel yesterday. Alex had lied to her—again. She had made her think that there could be a chance for them to work things out, but it was just a lie. Piper really believed that Alex did this just to get back at her. _Alex was always a magnificent liar,_ Piper thought as her mind drifted back to their early days together.

 _Piper had seen Alex at the bar a few times since their night of slow dancing to Van Morrison when Polly's ill-timed emergency happened and she had to leave. The few times she had seen Alex since, Alex had always been with a group of friends and she really couldn't get away for very long at a time. They had a few quick conversations at the bar, and they were flirting as usual, but Piper wanted more. She wanted to slow dance and taste Alex's sweet lips again. She wanted to feel Alex's body pressed against hers and get lost in the sensation of Alex's lips brushing against her neck. For some reason though, Piper just couldn't seem to get Alex alone and away from her friends. She had finally had enough, so one afternoon she grabbed her cell phone and dialed Alex's number. She hadn't officially called her yet, so she was really nervous. It rang once, and she hung up. She lost her nerve. Piper sat down on her bed, cursing herself for being such a coward. She almost jumped off the bed when her cell phone rang. She almost died when she saw Alex's name on the caller ID._

 _"Hello?" Piper answered, while closing her eyes._

 _"Piper, is that you? Did you just ring my number and hang up?" Alex asked._

 _Piper could hear the smile on her lips. "Um, yeah, sorry about that. I think I may have accidentally dialed you," Piper said while smacking herself in the forehead._

 _"You sure about that, kid? How many times did you dial my number before actually pressing the Send key?" Alex teased._

 _"Stop it," Piper smiled into the phone. She loved it when Alex teased her._

 _"Well, Miss Chapman, now that you have me on the line what are you going to do about it?"_

 _Piper felt nervous again. She wanted to ask Alex out, but she was also afraid of being rejected. She wasn't sure she could handle rejection from Alex. "Well, since I accidentally dialed you, would you maybe consider having dinner with me? Say this Friday?" Her heart was pounding now._

 _"Hmmm, dinner with Piper Chapman this Friday… I think I can pencil you in, kid. Should I pick you up or do you want to meet some place?" Alex asked._

 _Piper was ecstatic. She had never asked a woman out before—and definitely not a woman like Alex Vause. "I can pick you up, if you like, but you have to give me your address."_

 _Alex hesitated, but only for a second. "Sure, you can pick me up. I'll text you my address. But don't stalk me, okay?" Alex joked._

 _"I'll try my best not to do that, but I'm not making any promises," Piper teased back._

 _They talked for a while longer, and Piper seemed to relax a little more. Alex was really easy to talk to, and they could talk about anything. She had never met anyone that she could be this comfortable with, and she was thrilled that she would finally get the chance to be alone with her again. Her heart raced at the thought._

 _They decided to keep it casual and just hit an Italian restaurant a few blocks from Alex's place. Then they would catch a movie at the cinema. Piper was wearing jeans, a navy striped shirt, and the cutest little shoes she had found at Marshalls. She never used to shop at Marshalls, but being a broke college grad changed things._

 _Piper arrived at Alex's apartment promptly at 8pm. The charming brick building was located in the West Village not far from SoHo. Piper climbed the stairs to the second floor, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. Alex opened the door, and it was all Piper could do to keep herself from jumping her right then and there. She was stunning in just a black t-shirt and jeans._ She could probably wear a trash bag and still look good, _Piper thought._

 _Alex invited her in and Piper was in awe of Alex's apartment. It was what she imagined it would look like and more. The exposed brick and hardwood floors were very charming, and there were books everywhere. All kinds of books, it was like a library. Alex had exquisite taste and Piper was impressed by all of her things. She was so young, and apparently pretty wealthy. Although Alex's profession slightly terrified Piper, she had to admit it was also rather exciting. She had wandered into Alex's bedroom and noticed the huge, dark four poster bed. She felt her face flush, and she felt even hotter when she sensed Alex standing closely behind her._

 _"You ready, kid?" Alex whispered._

 _Piper almost melted. "Um, yeah. I'm definitely ready."_

 _They walked a few blocks to the restaurant. It was called Da Marcella and Alex had told Piper that they had the best Italian food ever. They sat at a small table in a quiet spot. The table was adorned with a single red rose in a sleek white vase, and a soft glowing candle in the center. It was very romantic. Alex ordered a bottle of Amarone della Valpolicella and Piper almost shit because it was a $100 bottle of wine. Alex could see the panic on Piper's face and enjoyed it for just a moment._

 _"You're going to love this wine, and don't worry, Piper. I'm paying tonight," Alex said, smiling at the gorgeous blond across from her._

 _"No, I asked you out, so I should be the one paying tonight."_

 _"How about this? I'll pay for dinner, and you can pay for the movie," Alex countered._

 _"Are you sure, Alex? I mean, a movie is far less expensive," Piper said._

 _"Well, I'll just have to get lots of popcorn and snacks," Alex teased._

 _The waiter came back with their wine and also took their orders. Piper ordered Lasagna alla Bolognese while Alex ordered Melanzane alla Parmigiana. Piper thought Alex was definitely right about this wine. It was delicious—full-bodied and complex with a hint of sweetness. By the time their food arrived, they were both feeling the effects of the wine. They ate their food slowly, enjoying the ambiance, the wine, and each other. Piper found herself staring at Alex's mouth. She wanted that mouth all over her body._

 _When they were done, the waiter cleared the table, leaving just the bottle of wine and their glasses. Alex poured them each another glass. Alex was watching Piper watch her, and was getting excited. She loved the way Piper looked at her. She could see nothing but desire in her eyes, and in this moment she wanted nothing more than Piper Chapman. She took a drink of her wine, and moved her chair next to Piper's. She then leaned into Piper's ear and whispered, "Drink up because once you're done with that glass I'm taking you back to my place."_

 _Piper turned the glass up and finished it off. Alex did the same, and she quickly left the money for the bill and a generous tip on the table._

 _They couldn't get back to Alex's place quickly enough. Alex unlocked the door and pulled Piper inside. She closed the door, and pushed Piper against it, kissing her passionately. Their hands were in each other's hair, and Alex pressed her body into Piper. Piper moaned in Alex's mouth. They were both breathless and kicking off shoes._

 _Alex pulled Piper towards the bedroom while pulling her shirt over her head. Piper was wearing a sexy pink bra underneath. Piper tugged at Alex's shirt and removed it to reveal a sexy black camisole below. Alex pushed Piper onto the bed. She unbuttoned her pants and carefully slid them off her long legs. Piper sat up and unbuttoned Alex's jeans. Alex stepped out of them and was now only wearing her black camisole and matching panties. Alex pushed Piper back on the bed again and continued kissing her. She kissed her mouth and then trailed down her neck toward her breasts. She caressed her breasts over her bra, then lifted Piper a bit and unfastened it. She slowly removed it to reveal Piper's bare breasts. They were divine. Alex immediately went for the nipple. She sucked one while twisting and teasing the other. Piper was writhing wildly beneath her. She had an idea._

 _"Piper, do you trust me?" Alex asked between kisses._

 _"Yes," Piper said trying to catch her breath._

 _"Move up some in the bed toward the headboard," Alex said._

 _Piper did as she was commanded. She had no idea what was about to happen, but she didn't care. Alex could do whatever she wanted to her right now and that would be just fine. Alex was straddling her and she took her right arm and raised it above her head toward the headboard. She then carefully tied Piper's arm to the headboard with a silk scarf. She repeated this with her left arm._ Fuck, this is hot, _Piper thought. She had never been tied up before._

 _"I've tied these loosely, so if you really wanted you could get out of it pretty easily," Alex said while moving back down Piper's body. She kissed her way down from her breasts to her navel, using the tip of her tongue to tickle Piper's stomach. Piper was loving it and her body was responding to Alex's every little touch._

 _Alex made her way down to Piper's panties. They were pink, like her bra, but lacey. She could smell Piper's arousal, and she couldn't wait to taste her. Over her panties, Alex blew a hot breath on the area around Piper's clit, and Piper moaned loudly. She used her teeth to slowly pull Piper's panties down. When she had them off, she slowly kissed her way back up Piper's long legs. She took a moment to admire the heavenly sight before her. Here was the most gorgeous woman in the world lying completely naked and tied up in her bed. It was almost too good to believe. She reached up and kissed Piper again on the mouth, this time biting her bottom lip. She could tell Piper was losing it, so she kissed her way back down._

 _She inhaled Piper's scent and it was amazing. Alex took a long lick from Piper's dripping wet center up to her clit. She tasted amazing too. Piper inhaled sharply and arched her back at the sensation. "God you taste so good, Piper," Alex said in a deep sultry voice._

 _Alex continued licking and sucking Piper, while Piper was grinding into her mouth. Alex inserted two fingers into Piper's wet core, and Piper started moaning very loudly. She couldn't help herself—Alex was driving her crazy. Between Alex's long, talented fingers and tongue, Piper could hardly hold still. She finally wiggled free of the restraints but still had to grip onto the headboard as she came hard, screaming loudly._

 _Alex kissed her way back up Piper's stomach, and wiped her mouth on her arm._

 _"Oh my God," was all Piper could say. She had never had an orgasm like that. She could almost see stars it was so good._

 _"Horrible, wasn't it?" Alex joked as she kissed Piper's stomach again._

 _"The worst," Piper chuckled, and they kissed again. "You're really bad at that." Another kiss, and then Piper puts her forehead on Alex's and asks in the most sincere way, "Can I do you?"_

 _Alex thought Piper asking permission was funny, "You don't have to ask." She kissed Piper again._

 _Piper felt a little awkward and felt she needed to confess something before it became obvious, "I've never really…"_

 _Alex moved from between Piper's legs over to her side, "Gone down on a woman before?" she asked, surprised._

 _"I mean…" Piper stared up at Alex, "No."_

 _Alex laughed at this revelation. She had figured since Piper went to Smith that she had at least been with a few girls, and she was pleasantly surprised to find out differently. She laughed, "What kind of a lesbian are you?"_

 _"The boob-touching kind," Piper replied, and Alex laughed._

 _"All right, well… Are you ready to take the plunge… so to speak?" Alex joked._

 _"Are you gonna coach me through it? Piper asked in all sincerity._

 _"Yeah," Alex said and they kissed again._

 _Just then Alex's cell phone started to ring. "Shit. Mmm," she says while breaking their kiss. She grabs her phone and glasses and looks at the caller ID. "Shit. What time is it in Amsterdam?"_

 _"I have no idea," Piper said while stroking Alex's hair._

 _"Okay, um, give me a second. I'm sorry, it's business." Alex says while kissing Piper and trying to get out of bed. Piper just didn't want to let her go. "I'll be right back."_

 _As Alex leaves the room to answer the phone she asks Piper if she wants a glass of water and Piper asks if that's a part of it. Hydration? While Alex is away, Piper picks up something on Alex's night table and looks at it. When she looks back up, there is a hooded figure in the doorway. She's startled and tries to sit up in bed._

 _"What the… Alex!" she screams as the hooded figure runs towards her and jumps on the bed. Before she can understand what's happening, she's being straddled and punched in the face. They both wrestle to the floor still struggling._

 _Alex comes back in, turns on the light and sees them on the floor. "Jesus, what the fuck? Stop, Sylvie! Stop it, Sylvie! Shit!" Alex pulls the girl off Piper as the girl calls Piper a bitch._

 _She helps Piper up and notices her cheek is red, "Jesus."_

 _Piper looks at the girl with disbelief. "She… she attacked me."_

 _"Are you fucking kidding me?" Sylvie says, and Alex tells her to stop._

 _"Piper—" Alex started._

 _"She just broke in here," Piper said._

 _"I live here!" the girl screamed back at Piper._

 _Piper looked at Alex, and all Alex could do was tell the truth, "She does."_

 _"That's my girlfriend, you whore," Sylvie said pointing at Alex._

 _"No," Piper felt her heart break._

 _"Get her the fuck out of here," Sylvie said._

 _"Okay, I will. I'm gonna get her out of here and then we're gonna talk, okay?"_

 _"I said, get her out! Now!" Sylvie screamed, and then stormed out._

 _Alex tried to follow her briefly, and then gave up._

 _"Your girlfriend?" Piper asked angrily._

 _"It's complicated, Piper," was all Alex could manage._

 _Piper starting looking for her clothes. She needed to get out of here right now. How could Alex lie about this? What else was she capable of? "This is so fucked up."_

 _"I'm sorry. I should have said something," Alex said._

 _"You think?" Piper shot back while pulling on her jeans._

 _Alex tried to push Piper's hair back to see her face. "Are you hurt? Did she hurt you?"_

 _Piper pushed Alex away, "She punched me in the face. Yes it hurts. Fuck, where is my other shoe?"_

 _Alex started looking around for Piper's missing shoe, and she tried to explain, "I just… I kept seeing you around and… You know, I liked you, and then when you called—"_

 _"Okay, stop it. Please don't. You're making it worse," Piper said, still searching for the shoe._

 _"Here," Alex says as she hands Piper her pink bra. "Did you find your other shoe?"_

 _"Forget it," Piper says while still wrapped in Alex's sheet and holding on to the lone shoe and heading for the door._

 _"What? You can't walk home without your shoes. They're nice shoes," Alex says while watching Piper standing in her doorway. She wasn't sure she would ever see her again after this, and she tried to take in every ounce of her before she was gone._

 _Piper threw the shoe back into the room. "They're from Marshalls. Fuck you." Then she slammed the door and was gone._

* * *

Alex woke up, and immediately headed to Piper's bunk. Piper wasn't there but Judy King was there. She was swearing and cleaning what appeared to be vomit. Alex grimaced and wondered what was wrong with her. She hoped something contagious wasn't going around again. She went back to her cube and decided to wait a while to see if Piper came back. Nicky was up now too.

"What's going on over there with Martha Stewart 2.0?" Nicky asked.

"I'm not sure, looks like she got sick or something. You know, I saw her yesterday in the cafeteria and she was covered in shit then too. I don't get it," Alex said.

"Oh yeah, you didn't hear about what happened? Your girl Piper threw her dinner tray all over her is what I heard," Nicky said with a smirk.

"What? Piper did that? Why?" Alex was confused.

"Not sure, Vause. Guess she was having a bad day or something. She should be careful though. King has some pretty rough and scary girls running with her."

"Yeah, I've noticed," Alex said.

"You better have a talk with Piper and tell her to chill out," Nicky suggested.

"Piper's pissed at me right now. Fucking Lolly told her that Steely and I went to the chapel yesterday when I was supposed to be meeting up with her."

"Oh, shit!"

"Yeah, that's why I need to talk to her. I need to explain what happened, and hopefully she'll believe me," Alex said.

"If I see her, I'll tell her to come find you, Vause," Nicky said as she headed out.

She knew her track record was shit—too many lies in the past, but she really hoped that Piper would believe her. She wanted to fix this. She recalled their first date when they went to Da Marcella's. The night Sylvie attacked Piper. The night Piper's trust in Alex would be forever broken.

 _Alex was startled at how hard Piper had slammed the door on her way out. She couldn't believe she just walked out with no shoes and wrapped in a sheet. Sylvie was probably in the kitchen opening up a bottle of bourbon. She was supposed to be spending the night with her sister in Queens tonight, but apparently that didn't happen. She didn't know what to say to Sylvie right now. She had met her six months ago, and they had a really good time together—at first. She had started off as a drug mule, but at some point she had started liking the product a little too much. She had spent some time in rehab and once she was released she had no place to go._

 _Alex wasn't sure why—maybe she felt sorry for her or somehow responsible for her addiction—but she had asked Sylvie to move in with her. She immediately regretted it. Sylvie was possessive and clingy, and even though she had stopped doing heroin, she still drank way too much. Whenever she drank too much, she would always try to start shit with other girls she thought were hitting on Alex. When Alex met Piper at the bar that first night, she and Sylvie had gotten into a huge fight and Alex threatened to throw her out then. In hindsight, she should have. Now, she was stuck in this relationship with this psycho. Alex wasn't one for relationships, but she was giving it her best shot. But ever since she met Piper, she couldn't get her out of her head. Sylvie was the last person she wanted to be with right now._

 _She was pacing around the room, trying to figure out what to do. She put her clothes back on, and stumbled over something. Piper's other shoe._ Fuck it, _she thought. She grabbed both shoes and headed out the door. Outside, she could see Piper standing in an alleyway between buildings. She was still wearing the sheet, and of course, still barefoot. She was facing the opposite way, so Alex came up quietly behind her._

 _"I think the toga party is on the next block over," Alex said._

 _Piper turned to see Alex standing there holding her shoes. She felt ridiculous standing out here in a sheet and barefoot. "Fuck you, Alex."_

 _"Look, Piper I really am sorry. I know I should have said something about Sylvie, but I just didn't know how to tell you. It's complicated… I'm not used to having to explain myself to anyone. I'm an asshole…" Alex trailed off as she noticed Piper shivering. "You're cold. Please, come back inside the building and at least put your clothes and shoes on. I'll call a cab for you."_

 _Piper stormed off back towards Alex's building. Once they were inside, they went in a remote corner and Piper started to unwrap the sheet from around her. She shoved the sheet back at Alex while trying to put her bra back on. She noticed Alex smirking and looking at her breasts. "Uh, no, turn around. You don't get to see these anymore."_

 _Alex obliged and turned around, holding the wadded up sheet and Piper's shoes. She turned back around after a while, and then knelt down on her knees. She gently lifted Piper's leg and slipped her shoes back on her feet. Then she stood up, face to face with Piper. She could see the hurt in Piper's beautiful blue eyes and she hated herself for hurting this girl. "I'm really sorry, Piper. I didn't want to hurt you. Let me fix this."_

 _"Fix this? How can you fix this? You keep saying 'it's complicated' but it really isn't. You should have just told me the truth. The truth is you have a girlfriend that lives with you, and you just fucked me in your bed. You're a fucking liar, Alex. And I don't know if there's any way to fix that," and then she stormed out again._

 _This time Alex didn't follow. As much as she wanted to, she didn't think it would be fair to Piper to keep chasing after her when Piper now knew about Sylvie. She figured she'd never see the gorgeous blond who had stolen her heart ever again. She glumly headed back up the stairs to try to make nice with 'pyscho'._

* * *

Piper was making her way out of the bathroom, when she almost ran straight into Nicky. "Shit, Nicky, you scared me."

"Yeah, déjà vu, Chapman. Hey, Vause is looking all over for you, she really needs to talk to you," Nicky said.

"I bet she does," Piper said coldly.

"No, seriously. I think there was some kind of misinterpretation of information, and you're thinking one thing, when really it was something else completely…" Nicky was rambling.

"You know what, Nicky. You don't have to lie for her. I know what I saw with my own two eyes. I watched Alex and Steely go into the chapel and then I listened from the doorway and I heard them. Together. Moaning. And sucking. And fucking," Piper said while cringing.

"Wait, what? You saw them go into the chapel? Oh, man! This is worse than I thought," Nicky said running her hands through her thick curls.

"Exactly. That's why you don't need to lie for her. She obviously wants to be with Steely now and she just wants to shove it in my face."

"No, no, no… Chapman, that's not what happened. You may have seen Alex and Steely go into the chapel, but it wasn't them who was having sex," Nicky was trying to explain without actually giving herself and Lorna away.

"Oh, yeah? Well who was it then?"

"Look, I don't know… but maybe Alex and Steely went in and heard the other couple having sex and went out the other door. You know, there's more than one door in the chapel. Did you actually see them in there?"

"No, but I know it was them. I've seen the way Steely looks at Alex. And Alex can't go very long without having someone in her bed. Stop trying to defend her, Nicky."

"Okay, fuck it, Chapman. I didn't want to say this, but I know for a fact that it wasn't Alex and Steely in the chapel yesterday. I know this because it was me and Lorna, and Alex and Steely interrupted us, briefly, and then left out the other door."

"You and Lorna?" Piper laughed. "Lorna's married now, she wouldn't do that."

"She did, and I'm sure she doesn't want a whole lot of people to know about it, but now almost everyone knows."

"Nicky, you don't have to cover for Alex. I'm done. Alex can fuck whomever she wants from now on," Piper said as she walked out.

She was still thinking about what Nicky had said as she walked aimlessly down the corridor back to the dorms. She didn't understand why Nicky was so loyal to Alex that she would make up such a lie about her and Lorna. Lorna wouldn't cheat on Vince. _Would she?_ Then she remembered sitting with Lorna at dinner last night before she started drinking. _Lorna's lipstick was all smeared, and her hair was a mess. Could Nicky be telling the truth?_ Piper was confused by her thoughts, and in her confusion she almost didn't notice her manipulative, gorgeous ex standing in front of her.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed the flashback, and thanks for reading. Reviews are much appreciated. Happy Saturday!


	18. Chapter 18 Prove It

Chapter 18

Prove It

Piper stared at Alex and at first she didn't know what to say or do. Alex always had that effect on her—she confused her. Not only was she gorgeous, but she had this presence about her that was Piper's whole undoing. _Fuck, focus Piper!_ She thought to herself.

"Piper, I've been looking all over for you," Alex began. "I think there may have been a misunderstanding between you and Lolly yesterday. I wanted to explain."

"Oh, do you mean how she told me that you and Steely went to the chapel to fuck, and then I saw you two go into the chapel to fuck? Is that what you want to explain, Alex?" Piper asked angrily.

Alex registered a look of surprise when Piper mentioned seeing them go into the chapel together. She knew it didn't look good, but she needed to convince Piper that nothing happened. "Pipes…"

"Don't!" Piper interrupted. "Don't you dare call me Pipes after you made me believe you wanted to meet and talk things out, and then you took some other girl to the chapel and fucked her. I mean that's pretty manipulative, Alex. Even for you."

"Piper, let me explain. We went in the chapel but someone else was already in there, so we went out the other door…"

Piper cut her off again, "Ah, so you admit taking her to the chapel to fuck her? Even if someone was in there already, how do I know you just didn't take her someplace else? A supply closet? The showers? The library? You're pretty clever at finding places to fuck, Alex."

Alex was frustrated with Piper, so she pushed her against the wall and looked her right in her eyes, "Piper, unlike you, the only person I've fucked since I've been back in this hell-hole is you," she softened her hold on Piper and whispered, "I swear."

Piper searched Alex's eyes and she wanted to believe her, but she couldn't be sure. It sure seemed everyone thought Alex and Steely were a couple. They were always together—at work, the cafeteria, the rec room, the library, everywhere—and Piper was certain that Steely was most definitely into Alex. And now, Piper had even seen them go into the chapel together. It was hard to forget that memory. Piper needed something more—more than just Alex's word.

"Piper, say something, please," Alex looked into her clear blue eyes.

"Prove it," Piper said.

"What?"

"Prove you're not fucking Steely."

"Okay, how? Tell me what you want me to do, Piper."

"I want you to stay away from her. I want you to tell her to fuck off," Piper said simply.

Hearing Piper say these words, took Alex back at least a decade.

 _It had been over a week since that night when Sylvie attacked Piper in Alex's apartment. When Piper left that night, Alex was certain she would never hear from her again. She was devastated. She had somehow hurt this precious, perfect girl that looked at her like she was the sun. She knew from the moment she met Piper that she was special, and she should have been more careful with her heart. She was beating herself up over it, and it didn't help that she had to make up with Psycho Sylvie._

 _Somehow Sylvie had convinced her to go to the bar and have some shots with her and some of their friends. Alex reluctantly agreed, but figured the alcohol would definitely help numb the pain in her heart. They had been there a couple of hours and Alex had many, many shots by now. She got up and walked towards the bathroom to wait in line. She never expected what happened next._

 _Piper had been dealing with her own heartache. She couldn't stop thinking about that night. It started out so well, and ended so horribly. She was mad at Alex, but she also missed Alex. She didn't understand how this woman could have this kind of effect on her. She couldn't eat, she couldn't sleep, all she wanted to do was call Alex or go to the bar and run into Alex. Anything, just to be with Alex again. She convinced herself that maybe Alex was in a horrible relationship. It sure seemed Sylvie might be a little crazy and difficult to live with. Maybe Alex was looking for a way out. Finally, she had enough of the emotional chaos and she took off to the bar. Their bar._

 _She noticed Alex right away. She was sitting at a table in the back with a group of friends and bat-shit-crazy-Sylvie draped all over her. Alex was drinking shots and didn't notice Piper come in. She made her way over to the bar and ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio. The bar was crowded so Piper was hoping that Sylvie wouldn't notice her sitting at the bar quietly stalking them. Finally Alex got up and headed towards the restrooms, and Piper made her move._

 _She came up behind Alex standing in line, took a deep breath and said, "Hey."_

 _A voice Alex would know anywhere, like she had known it her whole life. Piper. Alex turned around and saw the most wonderful sight she had ever seen. She took her all in—looking her up and down—before coolly responding with a smirky smile, "Hey."_

 _Piper smiled, but she didn't know what to say next. Alex leaned in closer to her and glanced out at the bar to make sure Psycho was still at their table. Piper turned to check also. "What are you doing here?" Alex asked with a smile and a lift of her brow._

 _Piper didn't have a clue how to answer that without really sounding like stalker. However, being the clever girl that she was, she noticed a poster on the wall. "Oh, I just, um… I heard about the burlesque show," she said as she touched the poster._

 _Alex laughed, "Oh."_

 _"You?" Piper asked._

 _"My friend Rachel's in it. She does this routine with a Ray Romano puppet," she giggled at the absurdity of that statement. "It's surprisingly sexy."_

 _They both laughed, then Alex noticed Piper looking at her lips._ God, this woman _, she thought. Then she felt the need to apologize again for the other night. "Ugh… Look, I'm really sorry about that night, Piper. I'm not a shady person."_

 _Piper pretended it was no big deal, "Oh, come on, don't worry about it. I mean, I've never been punched before. It was probably a good life experience."_

 _Alex laughed at this gorgeous dork in front of her. "I meant it when I said that things were complicated. I'm new to this whole relationship thing. You know, I don't… I don't know the rules."_

 _Piper was feeling extremely confident at the moment. She put on her sexiest 'I can be a bad girl' face and said, "That's the whole problem, isn't it? Rules aren't any fun." She looked from Alex's lips to her eyes._

 _The look Piper was giving her and her talk about breaking rules was making Alex hot. She found herself moving closer to Piper. Drawn to her by some invisible force. Suddenly the bathroom door opened and they were interrupted for a moment. Alex tried to regain her composure a bit._

 _However, whatever composure Piper had, it was quickly fleeting. She decided to just go for it. After all, what did she have to lose? "Listen, I don't want to stand in the way of true love. I mean, if that is your future wife out there, by all means, tell me to back off. But you pursued me, and I liked it. I've… I've never felt… You know, I've never really thought of myself as a very sexual person, but… ever since…"_

 _Alex almost chuckled at Piper's honesty, but she knew Piper was being very serious. Piper kept getting closer, and finally she leaned in and whispered into Alex's ear, "I want to taste what you taste like."_

 _Alex's knees felt weak. She had to close her eyes. Piper being this close to her and saying the things she was saying was almost too much for Alex to handle. She wanted Piper more than anything else in the world. She didn't just want her for now, she wanted her for forever. She gently placed her hand on Piper's cheek and pulled her in for a sweet and gentle kiss. It quickly escalated into a more passionate kiss and Piper's hands were in Alex's hair. Alex's hands were moving down Piper's body, and they were both breathing heavily. Alex let go for a moment to open the bathroom door. She went in first, pulled Piper in behind her and closed the door._

 _Once inside, she locked the door, and gently pushed Piper against it. She pressed her body against her, and kissed her even more passionately. Their hands were tearing at each other's clothes. Piper had managed to unbutton and unzip Alex's tight leather pants. Alex took Piper's hand and shoved it down in her pants and into her panties. "You feel that, Piper? Do you see how wet you make me?"_

 _Piper was in ectasy. The fact that she could do this to Alex was such a turn on. "Fuck, Alex…" was all she could manage._

 _"Yes, fuck. Let's do just that," Alex said as she claimed Piper's mouth again._

 _A sudden knock on the door rudely interrupted them._

 _"Alex… Baby are you in there?" Came the voice from the other side of the door._

 _Fucking Sylvie._

 _Piper froze, and Alex instinctively pulled herself and Piper away from the door. "Fuck," she whispered to Piper._

 _Sylvie knocked again. "Alex?"_

 _"Umm, yeah, be right out. I'm not feeling so well. Too many shots," Alex lied. "Just go back to the table, I'll be out in a minute or two."_

 _"Okay, I was just worried about you. You've been gone for a while," Sylvie said._

 _Alex looked at Piper apologetically. "Shit, I'm sorry. Again. This is so fucked up."_

 _Piper looked at Alex with sad eyes, "It's okay, Alex. I get it. You pick her."_

 _Alex could not stand to hurt this girl anymore. She had to make a decision, but she wanted to be sure it was what Piper really wanted too. She grabbed Piper around the waist and pulled her in again. She kissed her thoroughly, and between kisses said, "I want you, Piper Chapman. Tell me what I have to do to have you, just say the word. Tell me to leave her and I will. Just say it, Piper."_

 _Piper's head was spinning. She knew what she wanted. She wanted Alex more than she wanted air. "Like I said, I don't want to stand in the way of true love…"_

 _"Stop trying to be noble," she said as she kissed her way down Piper's neck and onto her exposed collar bone. "Tell me what you really want."_

 _Very simply Piper said exactly what she wanted, "Okay, if you want me, prove it. I want you leave her for me. I want you to tell her to fuck off."_

 _Alex didn't even have to give it a second thought, "You got it, baby," and she continued kissing Piper. "I'll go talk to her right now."_

 _This time Piper pushed Alex gently against the wall, kissed her, then knelt down. "No, not yet, Psycho-Bitch is gonna have to wait a little longer. I'm going to taste what you taste like."_

"Alex! Hello? Are you going to say anything?" Piper asked bringing Alex back to the present.

Alex didn't know what to say. How could she tell Piper that she couldn't just tell Steely to fuck off because they were working together selling drugs? She still needed Steely, but there was no way to explain it to Piper. "Piper, Steely and I work together? I can't just stay away from her."

"You can ask for a job transfer. People do it all the time. You hated grounds crew anyway."

"I can't, Piper. I'm not going to do that. I'm not lying to you. Steely and I are just friends, and like I've said over and over before I'm not fucking her. And if you can't take my word for it, then we don't have anything else left to talk about." Alex hated saying that last part, but she couldn't give in to what Piper wanted this time… as much as she wanted to.

"I can't, Alex. You've lied to me too many times. If you can't do this one thing to prove it to me, then I guess… I guess we really are done." Piper felt her heart break at the thought of losing Alex, but she couldn't trust anyone anymore. Not even the love of her life.

Alex felt crushed. She should have told Piper the truth right then and there. Everything about Aydin and the drugs, and how Steely was helping her, and about how she was doing this to keep Piper safe. But she couldn't. She didn't want Piper involved in any of this. She had lured Piper into her drug business once before and it had ruined their relationship and landed them both in prison. This time, she wanted to do everything in her power to protect Piper and not drag her into this hell. She knew now the best thing she could do for Piper right now was to let her go. She fought back the tears as hard as she could, and tried to steady her voice as much as possible, "I'm sorry, Piper, but I can't give you what you want."

* * *

A/N – My poor little Vauseman heart! What's it gonna take to get these two together? Prepare for a slight time jump next chapter. The next few chapters are going to be a roller coaster. Please review, follow, fav… all that good stuff. -J


	19. Chapter 19 45 Miserable Days

Chapter 19

45 Miserable Days

Piper sat on her bunk lacing up her boots and getting ready to head to work. Thankfully all of her other bunkmates had left for the day. She still had problems with Judy King. Everywhere she looked there was one of King's girls cracking their knuckles and looking like they were ready to pounce if she made one wrong move. Lately she was having trouble with Steely too. It had been six weeks since she had last spoken to Alex. Things with Steely had been nothing but tense after that. The girl Piper had found to be charming even though she was chasing after her ex, was long gone and she had been replaced by an arrogant smug asshole. Piper had told her she didn't want her wearing panties for her any longer, and essentially fired her from the Felonius Spunk Panty franchise. In hindsight Piper was regretting that, but only a little.

Over the past few weeks, it seemed that several of her girls had decided to quit wearing panties for her. She tried to get the girls to tell her why they were quitting, but no one could give a logical explanation. Most said that they were afraid of getting caught, and others had said that they had found another source of income. She had even started offering them extra incentives if they continued working for her, but they wouldn't budge. She wasn't sure what was up, but she knew something was. She was determined to get to the bottom of this.

New inmates and girls from Max that they viewed as "low-risk" offenders were still steadily coming in. They had started a new construction project on the west side of the camp that was going to be able to house even more prisoners. Caputo had finally worked out some kind of deal with the old guards too because most of them were back working full time. Piper was surprised at how much she had missed them. They may be dicks sometimes, but they were definitely skilled at running Litchfield smoothly.

There was also buzz about a drug dealer that was selling heroin and pretty much anything else one could want. No one would name names, and obviously the drug users knew who they were buying from, but they knew enough not to rat them out. Everyone was speculating that it was this Columbian woman that came up from Max. Her last name was Perez, but they called her _Mal_ , which Piper thought was the Spanish word for evil. Piper wasn't sure if all the speculation about her was just because of her nickname or the fact that she told everyone she met that she was related to Pablo Escobar. Piper didn't really care, she didn't do drugs and she knew to stay away from crazy prison drug bosses.

Piper had been paying visits to Poussey regularly. She had found a quiet spot in a tool shack where she could sneak away for a while and enjoy the numbing effects of the hooch. It didn't really help keep her mind off of Alex, if anything it made her sit and reflect on their relationship more. The alcohol just made it easier not to cry. She would drink the hooch and head over to the track. Not to run, but to watch. From the track she could secretively watch Alex working. She watched her interactions with Steely, and she saw how happy Alex seemed to be. They constantly smiled and laughed at each other, and if Alex's heart was as broken as Piper's it wasn't showing. Piper felt so alone. She had asked her mother to stop visiting and she only met with Cal every other weekend to find out how sales were doing. She still sat with Morello and Boo during meals, but she didn't have much to say. The only solace she found these days was in the hooch and stalking Alex. And, really, that last part was more like torture.

During breakfast she sat down with Morello, Boo, and—believe it or not—Pennsatucky. Boo and Pennsatucky were tight these days, and Piper had grown to tolerate her in small doses. They had buried the hatchet long ago, and these days she didn't really seem like the same looney meth-head that had tried to kill her. She seemed humbled and maybe a little sad. Boo seemed to trust her, and Piper trusted Boo so that's all that really mattered. Boo had become Piper's right hand man with the panty business. She'd been helping her since they planted the contraband in Stella's cube months ago. Boo's primary job was distributing new panties and collecting the used ones. A job she didn't seem to mind doing at all. Piper was also paying her double the amount of everyone else.

Morello and Pennsatucky got up to leave and Boo slid over to sit across from Piper. "Hey boss, word on the street is someone else is recruiting girls to wear the panties."

"What!?" Piper asked in confusion.

"Yeah, you know that Swedish girl that came in a few weeks ago?" Boo asked.

Piper shook her head no.

"You know the tall girl with the chicken tits?"

Ok, that made sense. "No, Boo. I don't know who the tall girl with chicken tits is? What are chicken tits anyway? Chickens don't have tits."

"Oh, so you've never had a chicken breast?" Boo countered.

Piper rolled her eyes, "Are you going to tell me what the fuck you're talking about, or are we going to sit here and discuss tits all day?"

"Hmmm… I kind of like that idea," Boo replied with a smirk.

Piper gave her the death stare.

"Okay, okay. Geez, boss, you're uptight today. More uptight than usual I should say. The tall Swedish girl kinda has a thing for me. We were having a post-coital conversation this morning and she told me that she had been approached by another girl and asked to wear the panties for a couple of days then leave them in a certain location for a pickup."

Piper was listening intently, "Who approached her?"

"She didn't know the girl, but she thinks she can point her out again if she sees her."

"Fuck, who would do this? Who would dare to go up against me?" Piper asked.

"That's not the worst part either. She said they were willing to pay $15 per pair."

"What! That's almost triple what I can pay!" Piper scream-whispered. "We need to find out who's behind this. Go back to Chicken Tits and make her find this girl. I want a name, Boo."

"I'll get right back on her… er, I mean _it_. Right back on it, boss," Boo said as she got up to leave.

Piper was furious. She couldn't believe that someone had the balls to try and undermine her business. She was forming a list of suspects in her mind when she looked up and saw Alex and Steely across the room at a table in the back. Alex's back was to Piper and Steely was seated next to her. They were sitting with Nicky and several other girls. They looked like they were having a party. There was a cupcake with a candle on the table in front of Steely. The candle wasn't lit obviously, but she saw Steely bend over and pretend to blow it out anyway. Everyone cheered and then she saw Steely look at Alex, and she watched in agony as Steely pulled her in and kissed her right on the mouth. Before the guards could break it up, Piper was already running out of there.

* * *

Alex was walking to work with Nicky after breakfast. They had really been there for each other these past several weeks. Alex had cried her heart out to her after she had walked away from Piper in that corridor six weeks ago. Actually, to be precise, it had been 45 miserable days. Alex had counted every day since then. Nicky was dealing with her own problems with Lorna too. After they were together in the chapel that day, Lorna decided that she had to tell her husband about it. So she did, and he got pissed and told her he thought it would be best if they got their marriage annulled. He was unhappy with the fact that they could not be together physically, and now that she had cheated, he felt betrayed and didn't know if he could get over it. Lorna was terribly upset. Nicky tried to comfort her, but she pushed her away. She didn't know what else to do, but leave her be and let her have some time on her own.

"So, Steely really laid one on you in the cafeteria just now, huh?" Nicky asked. "I mean fuck, I asked her what she wished for and she grabbed you and started making out. Guess you were what she wished for. You two getting pretty serious or what?"

Alex shook her head, "I don't know. She's great and she's hot, but..."

"Don't get me wrong, Vause. I know deep down you probably still have a thing for Piper, but I think it would do you good to get a little someplace else, ya know? The whole 'plenty of other fish in the sea' bullshit, you know. And Steely is one fine little mermaid," Nicky said with her signature smirk.

Steely was very easy on the eyes and she had been a pleasant distraction while she was trying to get over Piper. But Piper wasn't making it easy though. Alex would watch her at the track each morning. She noticed she looked pale, unkempt, and almost lethargic. She wasn't running either, she was just kind of staring. She looked lost and broken, and Alex was heartbroken. She had done this to her. She had done it for good reason—to protect her, but she couldn't bear seeing Piper so hurt. She wanted to fix it, but there was no other way. She had to let Piper go. She thought the best thing to do was to help Piper get over her by appearing to move on with Steely. Maybe if Piper saw that she had moved on, then she would get pissed off enough to move on herself.

In Alex's younger days it would have been easy to jump into bed with the next girl, but now it was different. Piper had made her different, she had changed her. Piper was still _in_ her. She knew Steely wanted her, and even though she was turned on by that, she just couldn't get Piper out of head. She hated stringing Steely along, but whenever she would bring up the idea of them just being friends, Steely got weirded out. She thought maybe Steely had abandonment issues. She knew her mother had died, and that her father was into some pretty sketchy stuff, but she never mentioned him much. Alex did not want her freaking out and ruining their working relationship because they had been doing very well at it lately. They were raking in huge amounts of cash each week. Alex was surprised at how much she had missed doing this.

Apparently word was getting around that the drug boss was actually this new girl called Mal. Nicky had told Alex that this Mal chick was El Chapo's second cousin twice removed or something like that. Alex didn't know, she didn't care either. As long as it kept the suspicion off her and Steely it was all good. Of course, their customer base knew who they were, but they kept them close and made sure they knew the consequences of what would happen if they talked. Aydin helped with that too. If someone didn't pay or stepped out of line, Alex would have Aydin throw them in the overcrowded SHU. She hated doing it, but this was _her_ life they were fucking around with.

When Alex got to work that morning, Lolly told her that Steely needed her in the greenhouse. She wasn't sure what was up, but she headed that way. When she walked into the greenhouse, Steely was there all alone. She had a look in her eyes that Alex knew all too well. This girl wanted to fuck.

"Hey, what's going on?" Alex asked as if she had no idea what Steely was up to.

She walked up to Alex. "Well, you know, since it's my birthday I was wondering if maybe you had a present for me," she said as she ran her hands underneath Alex's shirt.

 _Jesus, why does everyone think I'm some kind of fucking present?_ Alex thought as she recalled last Christmas when Nicky also wanted her as a present. Alex wondered how she was going to get out of this. She was running out of good excuses. Maybe she should just give in. Even Nicky said it might be a good idea. Maybe being with Steely could help heal her broken heart. Steely was kissing up her neck now and nibbling at her ear. Steely took off her own shirt and Alex noticed her two small circular scars again. She had never explained what happened, and Alex was curious. "How about first you tell me how exactly you got those two scars," Alex said trying to resist Steely's advances.

"Really, Alex? Now?" Steely pouted.

"Yeah, I'm curious, and you never really talk about your past. I'm just trying to get to know you better," Alex said as she tucked Steely's hair behind her ear.

"Okay, I'll tell you. But I just want you to know that I don't tell a lot of people this story. It's personal and I've only ever told it to people that I love. Just know that before I tell you."

 _Fuck, not the L word_ , Alex thought. Alex wasn't one to just throw that word out there. She was careful with to whom she said that word. Other than her mom, Piper was the only other person she had said that to and meant it. "You can trust me, Steely. Don't you know that by now?"

Steely smiled at Alex, "Yeah, I do trust you. Okay, here goes. According to the Greenwich Connecticut Police ballistics report, these two scars are from a .38 caliber revolver."

Alex wasn't surprised. She had seen her fair share of bullet scarred people working for Kubra all those years. "Jesus, Steely. How did you get shot?"

"I told you my father was into some pretty shady shit. What I didn't tell you—and please don't judge me for this—is that he's a police officer. A dirty cop. He works for the criminal with the highest bid. He worked for drug cartels, mobsters, politicians, you name it. Our lives were in constant turmoil, we had to move around a lot, and we always had to live in fear. Finally my mom had enough of him. He and my mother divorced when I was fourteen. My mom and I finally had peace in our lives, and we were happy."

Alex watched as tears formed in Steely's eyes. She knew how it felt to just have your mom to depend on growing up. She knew that Steely and her mom were probably just as close as she and Diane. She listened while Steely continued pouring her heart out.

Steely wiped the tears from her face and continued on, "After a couple of years, everything seemed perfect. My mom and I had a nice little house in Greenwich. My dad was far enough away that we didn't have to worry about running into him. I was finally at a school for more than just a few months. I had just turned 16 that fall and I had gotten a part time job at a grocery store near our house," she paused, her breathing was shaky. "I came home after my shift, my mom had dinner ready for us. We sat down to eat, and we were talking about our day. It was dark outside, but with the street light glowing, I suddenly saw someone in a mask outside the kitchen window. Shots rang out, and then the glass in the window seemed to explode and was flying everywhere. Then I saw my mom… she had gotten shot in the head and was slumped over onto the table. I stood up and screamed out, and then I felt two sharp pains in my stomach. I fell onto the floor beside my mom. I thought I was going to die, and at that moment I wanted to. But somehow, I survived. I woke up three days later in the hospital and my fucking father was there."

Listening to this was horrible. Alex couldn't image the hell Steely went through seeing her mother killed. "My God, Steely, that's awful. Did they ever catch the person who did it?"

"No, but I'm certain it had something to do with my father. He did something to piss off one of his criminal bosses and they put a hit out on his family. I confronted him about it at the hospital and he denied it. I hated him for it. Still do. After the funeral I told him I never wanted to see him again. I was 16 and living on my own, but that was far better than being with him. I changed my last name to Banks, which was my mother's maiden name. But, I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree because somehow at 18 I fell into the criminal element as well. I was hacking and conning my way through life, and working for the criminal with the highest bad. Just like dear old dad."

"Shit, and you haven't spoken to your dad since the funeral?" Alex asked.

"Briefly, right before I got caught this last time. He offered to help me out of it by conveniently getting rid of evidence against me that was in police custody. I told him to fuck off. I'd rather serve time than to be in his debt."

Alex smiled, "Well, I'm kinda glad you told him to fuck off because otherwise we probably never would have met."

Steely blushed, "Okay, so that's my story. Now where were we? Oh yeah, I was about to get my birthday present from you." She stepped closer to Alex again, her shirt still off. Then the door creaked.

Alex looked at the door and in walked Aydin. For once, she was almost happy to see him. She was thankful that he had interrupted because after hearing Steely's story, Alex was feeling sorry for her and she just didn't know if she could disappoint her by turning her down again.

Aydin looked strangely at Alex and then told Steely to go help Lolly clean some gutters. Steely put her shirt back on, and left. Aydin watched her as she walked out, and then he turned and looked at Alex again with a curious look on his face.

"What?" Alex asked him.

"You're fucking her?"

"How is that any of your business?"

"You know who she is right?"

Alex didn't understand. What was Aydin talking about? "What do you mean?"

Aydin smiled. "You don't know, do you?"

Alex shrugged, "What?"

"Her father is Louie De Luca"

Alex's jaw dropped. Her head started to spin. She knew that name. "Oh, fuck."

* * *

A/N – Stay tuned… it's about to get crazy. Thanks for reading, and for the reviews ;-) -J


	20. Chapter 20 Grand Plans

Chapter 20  
Grand Plans

 _Louie De Luca was a name that Alex had not thought of in almost fifteen years..._

Alex had just recently been recruited by Fahri and she was very new to Kubra's organization. In fact, she had yet to even meet the notorious Kubra Balik. Fahri had promised that she would get to meet him soon if she proved herself worthy over the next few weeks. Alex had to start off at the bottom and work her way up. The first few weeks she worked with Fahri all she did was drive him around. They went to several different locations, he would go inside, and she would sit in the car. She thought this was boring as hell, but she was getting paid pretty well just to be someone's chauffeur, so she dealt with the boredom by reading.

Things started to get a little more exciting as the days went by. After a while, Fahri was letting Alex go in with him when he made pick up's or drop off's. Sometimes they picked up and dropped off drugs, sometimes it was cash, most of the time it was both. Fahri had been introducing Alex to their contacts, and he was making it clear that soon she would be taking over his role. On the last run of the day, Fahri suggested that Alex handle it alone. He told her he would just wait in the car and be there for backup. Alex agreed, excited to prove herself to Fahri.

Alex headed inside the abandoned warehouse alone. She walked with confidence and purpose. She was to deliver a briefcase full of money to the guy inside. She had met this particular contact a few days ago when Fahri introduced them. He was a short little guy and very Italian. His name was Louie De Luca and Alex's first impression of him was that he reminded her of Joe Pesci in the movie _My Cousin Vinny_. He wore lots of leather, jewelry, and had a very heavy Brooklyn accent. She walked in and everything was quiet.

"Hello," Alex called out.

Louie was seated behind a counter, and he greeted her with a smile, "Ah, Alex, right?"

"Right, nice to see you again, Louie," Alex replied while shaking his hand.

"I see you're flying solo today, huh, kid? Fahri must be really be impressed by you. I've never seen him promote someone so quickly."

Alex was thrilled to hear this and smiled.

"And you're so young too. You must be just a few years older than my own daughter."

"Oh, you have a daughter?" Alex asked trying to make small talk.

"Yes, I do. She's beautiful. Looks nothing like me, looks just like her mother, thank God," Louie laughed.

Alex smiled again, not sure what else to say. "So are you from Brooklyn?"

"What gave it away?" He asked with a hearty laugh.

Alex laughed, "It's hard to mistake the accent, that's for sure. I'm actually staying in downtown Brooklyn right now until I can find a better place. "

"Oh, yeah? You be careful around there, Alex. That's a bad part of town," he said, very father-like.

Alex smiled again. She kind of liked this sweet little guy.

"So, Alex, do you have something for me?" Louie asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Um, yeah. Here you go," Alex said as she placed the briefcase on the counter.

Louie opened it quickly and examined the contents. If Alex had to guess, it was probably at least a half million dollars in it. Louie closed it and locked it, and then looked at Alex very seriously. His twinkling eyes were now intense and burning a hole through Alex. He grabbed Alex by her wrists and quickly had her in handcuffs. "Alex Vause, you're under arrest for attempting to bribe a police officer," he said as he flashed his badge at her.

 _Fuck!_ Alex thought. She was screwed. Her life flashed before her eyes. How was she going to get out of this? Then she heard Fahri laughing. Then Louie laughed. "What the fuck, Fahri?"

Fahri was still laughing. "I'm just having a little fun with you, Vause. Louie, unlock the cuffs."

Louie tried to apologize, but couldn't keep a straight face. "Sorry, kid. Fahri made me do it."

Alex was both relieved and pissed at the same time. "Ha, ha, very funny. Is this some sort of hazing thing?"

"Yeah, exactly. We do it to all the rookies," Fahri explained.

"Nice fake badge, Louie," Alex said as she rubbed her wrists.

"Oh, it's not fake," Fahri said in all seriousness.

Alex looked at Louie who just shrugged. "Port Authority Police Department, twenty years strong," Louie bragged.

"Yes, Louie is one of PAPD's not so finest," Fahri laughed.

Louie laughed at Fahri's remarks, but Alex thought she saw something else in his eyes. He almost looked hurt.

Fahri lit a cigarette and said, "You two finish up here, I'll be waiting in the car."

When Fahri left, Louie apologized again. "Sorry again, Alex. I really hated to do that to you, but…" he trailed off.

"It's cool, I get it. You have to do what you're told just like I do."

"Yeah, right. I've been doing what I've been told for way too long now. It gets old. But, hey, I don't want to scare you off. I remember how exciting this was when I was your age. Enjoy it while you can, kid."

Alex definitely sensed a sadness in Louie. He seemed like he had been doing this for far too long and maybe he was tired of it. She felt sorry for him, but he was right. This was exciting work, and Alex loved the rush. The fake arrest had not deterred her at all, if anything she was even more intrigued.

* * *

After several weeks, Fahri made good on his promise to Alex. He arranged for her to meet Kubra while he was in town. Normally Kubra resided in Cyprus, but from time to time he travelled into the US. It was risky for Kubra to travel to the US because he was on the DEA's radar. He travelled using a fake passport, of course, and brought along plenty of bodyguards. The trickiest part for Kubra was getting through JFK International airport. That's where Louie's job as a dirty Port Authority cop came into play. Fahri explained to Alex that part of Louie's job within the organization was to ensure that Kubra made it through Customs at JFK without getting caught. His job was to be there waiting at Customs when Kubra arrived. He would then direct Kubra through his processing line, pretend to scan his passport and documentation, and then clear him through.

Alex was nervous to meet Kubra. She had heard a lot about him from Fahri and some of the others. She realized quickly that he was not someone to mess around with. He rewarded those who worked hard, and severely punished those who fucked up. Often, those who fucked up didn't live to talk about it. Lives meant nothing to him. All that mattered was his money and his power. Alex had to keep telling herself to relax. She knew she had done well so far, and there was no reason to think that meeting Kubra today would somehow result in her untimely death. Still, she was nervous.

Fahri and Alex waited for Kubra's arrival at a posh penthouse suite at the Plaza Hotel. When Kubra arrived with his entourage, he was pissed. He walked past Alex without a word and pulled Fahri into a private area to talk. Alex couldn't quite hear what he was saying but she overheard something about airport and security. She tried to distract herself from eavesdropping by introducing herself to Kubra's entourage. This was the first time she met Aydin. He was young too, and looked a little nervous. This made Alex feel a little more relaxed knowing that she wasn't the only rookie in the room.

Fahri managed to calm Kubra down some, and brought him over to meet Alex. He introduced her as his protégé, and Alex felt proud.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Vause. Fahri has told me nothing but promising things about you. He says you're a natural. I look forward to getting to know you better while I'm here," Kubra said as he patted Alex's hand as they shook.

Alex was relieved that the angry man that had walked into this room had now become the calm and rather charming man that was before her now. "It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Balik. Please call me Alex."

"Only if you call me, Kubra," he said with a smile. "I trust you've had a chance to meet the guys?"

"Yes, I was just introducing myself."

"Good, good. Fahri, where are the women? Get us some girls over here, let's party."

Fahri smiled his devilish smile, "Already on their way, boss. Should be here any moment."

"Excellent. Can we continue our conversation out on the balcony? I fucking love the view here."

One of the guys starting pouring drinks, and Alex went over to join them. She was watching Fahri and Kubra on the balcony and she could tell that things were getting tense. Kubra looked mad again, and Fahri looked like he was trying to calm him down or reason with him about something.

"Wondering what that's about?" Aydin asked as he slipped in beside Alex and sat down on a bar stool next to her.

"Oh, hi. No, I was just… I was just wondering if I should take them a drink."

"I wouldn't go out there if I were you. Kubra's pissed off because his passport got flagged when he went through Customs. Some guy was supposed to take care of that, but he fucked up. Wasn't even there. He showed up ten minutes later when Kubra was about to be taken back to interrogation. He got everything sorted out, but Kubra was livid. I think he wants the guy dead."

Alex felt sick. Poor Louie. He had fucked up and now he might have to pay for it with his life. She started shaking a little. Then she started to wonder what she had gotten herself into. Her boss was on the DEA's most wanted list and not only was he a drug boss, he was a cold blooded killer.

When the women arrived, Fahri and Kubra came back inside. It didn't take long before Kubra had disappeared with a few of them into one of the bedrooms. Alex finally had a chance to talk to Fahri now and find out what was going on. Fahri basically told her the same thing Aydin did. Louie had fucked up at the airport and now Kubra wanted him dead.

"Fahri, is there some way you can talk him out of it? I mean Louie seems like a nice guy, and Kubra didn't even get to the interrogation room because Louie did show up and sort things out," Alex was trying to be rational.

"I've told him that Louie is our best connection at JFK and PAPD. He'd be a fool to kill him. But, he's not listening to me right now. He's too pissed off. Maybe after he gets laid a few times tonight, tomorrow he'll be more rational. Believe me, I don't want to see Louie dead either. I've spent a lot of time with the guy. He's a decent fellow," Fahri explained. "Tomorrow, when I meet with him to discuss this, I want you to be there. Don't say anything, don't try to persuade him. He doesn't like that shit. Just keep quiet. Okay?"

"Okay," Alex said as she eyed a tall, hot blond girl across the room.

"Hmmm, see something you like, Alex?" Fahri laughed as he put out his cigarette and blew smoke into the air.

Alex smirked, "See you in the morning, Fahri." Then she sauntered over towards the blond.

* * *

Alex awoke before the sun came up. She glanced over at the naked blond next to her. She was just what she needed last night. Too bad she was dumber than a box of rocks. She was hot, but definitely not on Alex's intellectual level.

She got out of bed and ran a hot shower. She had an awful feeling of dread. She was supposed to meet with Fahri and Kubra in a few hours to discuss Louie's fate. On one hand, she was glad that Fahri wanted to include her in the meeting, but on the other hand she was also terrified of the outcome. She wasn't sure if she was cut out for this. This was real, this was literally life or death. She wondered if there was anything she could say to Kubra to change his mind. Then she remembered Fahri warning her to keep quiet.

When Alex arrived at Kubra's room, Fahri and Aydin were discussing something quietly. She grabbed a cup of coffee and joined them.

"Alex, you've met Aydin?" Fahri asked.

"Yes, we met yesterday," Alex replied as she took a sip of coffee.

"Aydin's new to the organization too, like you. I was just giving him the same advice I gave you last night. During this meeting, no matter how you feel about something, keep your thoughts to yourself unless he asks you. Kubra doesn't like to be challenged. I've seen him kill for less. If he wants your opinion about something, he'll ask you. You're both new. That's why he wanted you in this meeting. He's going to test you. It'll be up to you how you respond. Got it?"

Alex and Aydin nodded their heads in agreement.

Fahri looked up and noticed Kubra standing by the balcony door. He extinguished his cigarette in an ash tray on the table and said, "Okay then, let's go. Kubra's ready for us.

Outside on the balcony, Kubra seemed very business-like. "Good morning. I trust everyone had a wonderful time last night, and is ready to get to work now," Kubra began. "Alex, I assume Fahri has filled you in on the situation that occurred when I arrived at JFK yesterday."

"Yes, he's made me aware of the situation," Alex said.

"Good. I want you both to know that I do not allow mistakes like this to happen in my organization. I pay you all very well, and I expect nothing but perfection. Anything less than perfection is not acceptable and you will be terminated." He paused, looking at Aydin and Alex directly in the eyes. "The type of termination varies in severity. Yesterday, I was five seconds away from being interrogated and probably arrested. You understand that if I am arrested, my life would be over. I would never see the outside of a prison again. So I take any threat against my freedom very seriously—as I should, correct?"

Alex, Aydin, and Fahri all agreed.

"So, I'm asking each of you. What would you do in my situation? How would you punish the perpetrator? Alex, you first. Please tell me what you would do."

Alex was suddenly terrified. She didn't realize she'd put on the spot quite like this. _He's going to test you_ , she remembered Fahri's words. "Well, in this case I would certainly take serious offense to what happened. There's no excuse for being late when it jeopardizes your freedom—your life. That being said, I do believe Louie should be punished. Not terminated, but punished. From what I understand, he's still a very valuable player in the organization. We still need him to get through Customs at JFK, which I'm sure is a very popular airport for our type of work. I'm not sure it would be easy to find someone else that could fill his position. You've built trust with this man and relied on him for a number of years. I just don't think it would be in your best interest to terminate him."

Kubra looked very stern, his face unreadable. "And, you, Aydin? What's your thoughts on this? How would you handle it?"

Aydin didn't waste a second with his reply, "I'd kill the fucker. Anyone can be replaced for the right amount of money."

 _Jesus… fucking psycho,_ Alex thought.

Kubra walked over towards the balcony and looked out at the view of Central Park. "Thank you both, now I need to talk to Fahri alone, please."

Alex and Aydin left them on the balcony and went back inside.

"Fucking pussy," Aydin said to Alex. "You think Kubra's just going to let him walk? You should have said to kill him too. You just fucked up."

"Fuck you. Kubra's smarter than that. He knows that he still needs him. You can't replace a relationship with years of trust with money, dumbass. If he killed Louie, he'd wind up with some rat that had no loyalties except to the next highest bidder. Kubra would be in prison the second he tried to come onto US soil, and he knows that."

"We'll see, Vause. We'll see," Aydin said as he popped a toothpick in his mouth.

Fahri came in the door, "Alex, outside now."

Alex joined them outside and Kubra asked her to sit down. She didn't know what was about to happen. He could be about to tell her that she had failed his test, and possibly get terminated herself. She really hoped not.

"Alex, I wanted you to know that I agree with what you said earlier. Louie has become too valuable to my organization, and killing him would be a mistake. I do still need him. I like the way you think, Alex. I can tell you're very intelligent. Too intelligent for certain aspects of this organization. You're not going to be the muscle, Alex, you're going to be the brains," Kubra said as he smiled and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "I have a plan for you that I've been discussing with Fahri. You're going to be our new importer. You'll get to travel the world, Alex, and party as much as you want. You'll be richer than you ever imagined too. But, I need you to remember this day, Alex. Remember that I demand perfection, loyalty, and trust. Remember that there will be consequences if I do not get those things. Do you understand, Alex? And are you ready to move forward with this organization?"

Alex was ecstatic. Louie would not be killed, she had proved herself worthy, and now she was about to begin her life's greatest adventure. She had grand plans and the confidence to pull them off. She just needed the money to do it. "Yes, absolutely, Kubra. I'm ready."

As she walked back into the room, she smirked cockily at Aydin who was on his way outside. She hoped she never saw him again, but somehow she felt she would. Kubra didn't seem too bad after all. Maybe Fahri was just trying to scare them.

* * *

Kubra was set to leave later in the day. Alex noticed Aydin was still there hanging around with the rest of the entourage. She and Fahri were discussing the plans for her new position. He told her that she would need to recruit drug mules to help carry drugs and money into and out of different places around the world. She would be traveling out of the country for majority of her time with only short visits back to the States. He told her when entering and leaving the US to fly through LaGuardia. She wondered why not JFK so that Louie could ensure her safety, but Fahri said no one would be on the lookout for her. She wasn't a known drug cartel member like Kubra. Alex didn't think too much about it after that. She was just ready to get started. Eager to start her new life.

When Fahri and Alex were done, Kubra asked Alex if she would mind joining him in his office. She followed him through the lavish suite into his spacious office. He pulled out the chair for her and sat across from her at his desk.

"Alex, Fahri has told me that you're living in a really bad neighborhood at the moment, and I would like to help you get into a safer part of town in a nice apartment or something."

"Oh my God, are you serious?" Alex was shocked. She didn't mean to sound so surprised, but she never expected this kind of generosity.

Kubra smiled, "Yes, I am very serious. You deserve it. You pick out a place, and I will cover the first year's rent. By that time you should be on your feet and able to pay it yourself. Consider it a signing bonus of sorts."

"Wow, I can't believe this. Thank you. This is mamazing," she stuttered, "I mean amazing. I'm so sorry, I'm just so overwhelmed right now."

"It's okay, Alex. There's one more thing I want to give you before you go."

Alex watched as he reached down and opened his desk drawer. What he did next surprised the hell out of her. He pulled out a gun.

"I want you to have this for protection. You'll be in the rough neighborhood a few more days until you find a new place, and I want you to have some kind of protection at least. It's a .38, serial numbers have been filed off. It's easy to conceal and even easier to fire," Kubra said as he slid the gun across his desk to Alex.

 _A fucking gun?_ Alex thought. She had never even touched a gun, much less carried one around. She would take his gift, but it was going in a safe deposit box some place. She wasn't keeping the thing around her.

"Okay, thank you," Alex said as she picked up the gun and stuck it in her pocket. _Yeah, thanks. I hope I don't shoot my fucking leg off_ , she thought as she left.

She had no clue whatsoever that she was now carrying around a murder weapon.

* * *

A/N - Sorry, no Piper in this chapter, but she'll be in the rest of them. Thanks for reading, and if I have time I may do another chapter this weekend. I covet your reviews! ;-) -J


	21. Chapter 21 Guess Who's Back

Chapter 21

Guess Who's Back

 _"You know who she is right?"_

 _Alex didn't understand. What was Aydin talking about? "What do you mean?"_

 _Aydin smiled. "You don't know, do you?"_

 _Alex shrugged, "What?"_

 _"Her father is Louie De Luca"_

 _Alex's jaw dropped. Her head started to spin. She knew that name. "Oh, fuck."_

Alex stood there with Aydin as the memories of her early Cartel days and Louie came crashing back down on her. She was starting to piece together Steely's story and what she had experienced firsthand. She had never run across Louie again after those early days, but she knew he was alive and he was still their airport contact at JFK. She assumed Kubra had punished him—somehow, but she never asked about him as her exciting new life and job started to unfold. She simply forgot about him.

Now she was starting to realize that Kubra's way of punishing Louie was by hurting his family, killing his wife and almost killing his daughter. Steely. She still couldn't believe that Steely was Louie's daughter. Steely was a tall hot blond, and Louie was… well, not. He was a short little Italian guy with dark features. She must have really taken after her mother. _Fuck, her poor mom_ , Alex thought. But why, how? How did she not know about this?

"Yeah, I thought you might remember ol' Louie. I remember how fucking arrogant you were back in those days too. You thought Kubra was just going to give him a slap on the wrist. What you didn't know was that after you left and I went out on that balcony to meet with Kubra and Fahri, Kubra gave me orders to kill Louie's family. His wife was my first kill," Aydin said proudly.

"You are one sick fucking psycho, you know that?" Alex was livid. She wanted to hit him. She wanted to beat the shit out of him, actually. He was such a cold, callous bastard.

Aydin laughed, "I can't believe you didn't know you were fucking Louie De Luca's daughter. Next time you're fucking her just remember that I marked her first with two nice bullet holes."

Alex cringed and turned away from him, running her hands through her hair and trying not to let him see her cry.

"I just hate I didn't kill her too. It was that fucking lousy gun Kubra made me use. I wanted to use my Glock, but he wanted it to look like an amateur robbery gone wrong. He made me use a piece of shit .38 that wasn't very accurate. I think you know the one I'm talking about," Aydin sneered.

 _No!_ Alex thought, as she turned back around. _It couldn't be… could it? Did Kubra give me the gun that Aydin used to kill Steely's mom? Fuck._

"Oh, yeah, I can tell by the look on your face… you know the one. That's your gun, right? Kubra gave it to you after I had used it," he said as he laughed. "He's a really twisted fucker, right? But you have to admit, he's brilliant."

"No… no… this can't be happening," Alex was reeling, almost feeling faint. For years she had hidden away this gun in a safe deposit box at a bank in Queens. She had forgotten she even had it until she got released after testifying against Kubra. When she thought she was being watched and they might try to kill her, she remembered it. She felt like she may need it for protection, so she picked it up and kept it in her apartment in Queens. She slept with it, she kept it close at all times, and when she thought someone was breaking in to kill her, she pulled it on the landlord, and then in walked Davy Fucking Crockett. The fucking gun was in police custody somewhere in Queens. A fucking murder weapon with her prints all over it. God, she was well and truly fucked.

"You should have never gotten caught with that gun, Vause. Kubra and I had a big laugh about that. Now it's just sitting around an evidence room waiting for some lab tech to test it and run it against any ballistic information on past crimes. Too bad when that happens, they're going to figure out you killed your new little girlfriend's mommy. Hmm, she's probably not going to take that very well, you think?"

Alex was panicking, she had to get some air. She ran out of the greenhouse and bent over and threw up.

Aydin walked up behind her, "Look on the bright side, Vause. Once they convict you of murder, you'll be sent down to Max and you can sell even more drugs there. You'll be Kubra's bitch 'til the day you die."

* * *

Piper was anxious to catch back up with Boo so that she could get a report on what she had found out about whomever was trying to steal her panty girls and, in essence, her business. Before she went to work, she stopped by the rec room and saw Boo with Tucky. They were playing cards, and she went over to join them.

"Hey, Chapman, you want us to deal you in? We're playing 7 Card Stud, but Boo's the only stud," Tucky said, laughing.

"No, but thanks," Piper began, and then turned to Boo, "What did you find out from Chicken Tits?"

"Not much, she still hasn't seen the girl again, but I did get a description. Tall Hispanic girl with long black hair and tats."

"Really? That's like fifty percent of everyone here. That's it, that's all you got?"

"That's all I have right now, but we're on the lookout for her. She'll turn up again," Boo smirked, "just like they all do."

"What does that mean?"

"Have you not seen who has returned to our happy little home here at Litchfield?" Boo asked.

"What? Who?" Piper asked.

Boo was smiling, "Oh, Chapman… you clueless woman, you. Your little Aussie prison mistress is back."

"You're fucking kidding!" Piper said as she looked around the room.

"She's not in here. She's working in the kitchen with King now," Tucky said.

"Fuck… Fuck! How did she get back here?" Piper asked.

"They're letting all the low risk offenders at Max come up here… you know that. How do you think Nichols got to come back? Seems like they're only keeping them down there for a few months, then sending them up here. So you may want to be careful next time you plan to send someone down the hill. They just might come back for ya," Boo said. "Watch your back Chapman. Word is, she's got it in for you.

"Fuck her. Let me know if you hear anything else from Chicken Tits. I have to get to work."

* * *

Alex had slept like shit the night before. She couldn't get Steely and her family out of her head. She had avoided Steely last night at dinner and before lights out, but she knew she'd have to see her today at work. How could she face her? Should she tell her the truth? _Oh, hi Steely, by the way, when I got busted for violating parole the gun they took from me is the same gun that killed your mom. And that's probably my fault too because I was trying to save your criminal father, whom you hate. Oh, and the kicker of it all, is that you're now working for the cartel boss that ordered the hit on you and your mom. And Aydin, that guard you hate so much that looks at you like he knows who you are. He does. He's her murderer. He gave you those scars on your stomach._ Yeah, that'd go over real well.

Once again Alex was in a situation that she had no control over. She had no idea what to do. That gun was a ticking time bomb. "God, fuck Piper for getting me thrown back in here. I could have been in Argentina somewhere on a beach right now," she said out loud while still in her bunk.

"Jesus, Vause. Where did that come from? Are you having a bad dream?" Nicky asked as she hung her head over the side of her top bunk to look down at Alex.

"Yeah, something like that. Only it's not a dream. It's my own fucking reality."

"You wanna talk about it?"

Alex sat up and grabbed her glasses. "No, it's not worth it. It's my own fault really. Sometimes, I seem to put everyone else's needs before my own. I think it's time I start doing things for myself. Fuck everyone else. Trying to be the good guy has gotten me nowhere but rotting away in this shithole."

Alex left and headed to work. She didn't bother showering or eating breakfast. What was the point? She felt pathetic, she may as well look pathetic too. On her way to work, Mr. Healy stopped her and said she had a visitor request, but that visitor wasn't on her list. He gave her a form to sign to allow the visit. When she saw who it was, she was surprised, but also confused. _Hmmm_ , she thought, _this ought to be interesting._

She worked with Lolly most of the day. She could feel Steely's eyes on her, but she wouldn't look at her. She kept as busy as possible, until late that afternoon when she saw Steely walking her way.

"Hey, what's up? I kind of feel like you've been avoiding me all day," Steely said.

"No, just been busy and not feeling too well today," Alex lied.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

"Um, no, I'll be fine. Thanks."

"Do you want me to wait and meet Flaca for the drop off today?"

"Oh, shit! I completely forgot about it being Monday. No, I'll wait for her. You go ahead, I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

"Hey, Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"Tonight's movie night. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go with me. I guess it's the closest thing to a date in here." Steely said shyly.

 _Fuck._ "Yeah, sure. Love to. I'll see you later."

* * *

Piper was busy sewing lingerie. She kept quiet as Cindy and Janae were talking. She had way too much shit on her mind right now. The information from Chicken Tits wasn't much to go on, but she could at least narrow down the list of suspects she had formed. She couldn't believe Stella was back. She never expected to see her again. She definitely didn't have feelings for her anymore, and she was pretty sure the feeling was mutual. She wasn't sure what the girl could be capable of, but she didn't imagine it could be much. The girl did have a Ninja Turtle tattoo and was a Buddhist.

As Piper went up to grab another container of material, she noticed something odd. She noticed that Flaca was removing something from a bolt of fabric, and she watched as she stuffed whatever it was down her pants. _Is Flaca stealing panties? Is she the one behind this? She is on my list of suspects,_ Piper thought. She decided to watch her more carefully the rest of the day to see what she was up to. She knew they had their issues, but she didn't really think Flaca would be the one to be behind this whole thing. She thought perhaps Flaca might be working for someone else.

The rest of the day at work was pretty uneventful. Piper had been watching Flaca like a hawk. She hadn't seen her stuff anything else down her pants, and from the noticeable bulge she hadn't taken whatever it was out. She even followed her to the bathroom a few times to be sure. When their work shift was over, she followed Flaca, but maintained her distance enough so that she wouldn't be noticed. Flaca walked quickly towards the garden, and Piper hung back by the fence and watched. She watched her go into the greenhouse, and come back out rather quickly. After that, she noticed the bulge in her pants was gone. Whatever she had in her pants, she had just dropped off inside the greenhouse. Piper decided to stop following Flaca now, and instead watched to see if anyone came out of the greenhouse. Flaca was a clever girl, but not a mastermind. Whoever was in the greenhouse was probably mastermind.

Piper waited for what seemed like an eternity, but in all reality only a few minutes had passed since Flaca left. The suspense was getting to her. She almost wanted to run over there and throw the damn doors open. Just then she saw the door crack open. She strained her eyes so she could get a really good look at whomever was about to walk out. Never in a million years would she have guessed it would have been Alex that walked out that door.

 _No… Alex? No, this can't be right. Alex wouldn't do this to me. Would she?_

Piper started to cry. She watched as Alex walked away from the greenhouse. Alex was looking around as if she was trying to make sure no one saw her. She looked guilty. Piper's crying soon turned to anger. "Fuck you, Alex. You're going to pay for this."

* * *

When Alex went back inside the dorms, one of the guards told her that she had a visitor. She wasn't expecting anyone today, and she didn't think _he_ would be here that soon. She had just signed Healy's form this morning. _It must really be urgent_ , she thought.

She entered the visitation room, and there sat someone that she had heard so many wonderful crazy stories about, but had only ever seen him in pictures. She sat down at the table in front of him. "Hi, Cal," she said simply.

"Hi, Alex," Cal said with a cheesy grin. "I've heard a lot about you… lately. It's nice to finally put a face to my sister's… um, well, you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I'm glad to finally meet you too. I've definitely heard a lot about you."

"I bet. Hey, listen I know you and Piper have been on the outs lately, but I'm really worried about her, and I don't know who else could help me. She's cut off all visits with my parents, and she'll only see me when it benefits her. Last time I visited with her… I think she may have been… drunk."

Alex was surprised, "Really?"

"Yeah, she was slurring her words, she looked like shit, and she had fermented fruit breath. It's not like my sister to get shit-faced like that, especially with all these guards around. I just don't want her to get into any more trouble. And I know you two broke up, and I shouldn't even be asking you, but I know that she must love you because she would have never told my parents that she had a girlfriend that she loved if it wasn't the truth. I was hoping that you could maybe talk to her and try to find out if she has a drinking problem, or you know, just be there for her as an ex-lover slash friend sort of thing."

"Wait, what? She told your parents that she loved me? The same day she told them I was her girlfriend?"

"Um, yeah… pissed them off pretty well too. Mom pulled Piper's ear," he laughed at the memory. "But I'm not like my parents, I don't care. I'm glad Piper has a hot girlfriend. I mean, girlfriend… er, I mean ex-girlfriend. I'm sorry, I'm just really concerned about my sister. I know I'm rambling."

"She never told me that."

"That I ramble?"

"No, that she told them she loved me. She told me that she called me her girlfriend, but she never mentioned the love part." Alex wasn't sure why, but Piper was never one to say that word very often. Neither was Alex, really, but when it came to Piper, she let her guard down. She was always the first to say it to Piper. Come to think of it, the only time Piper had ever said 'I love you' first was in the kitchen that day when Larry had told Piper that she had named her. And it was quickly followed up with 'And I fucking hate you'. But Piper had done something remarkable. Not only had she said that she loved her, but she had said it to her parents. The very people that never even knew she existed until Piper got arrested.

"So will you talk to her?" Cal asked, his eyes pleading.

"Um, yeah. I'll see what I can find out."

"Great, thank you so much. I'll be in touch. It was really nice to meet you, Alex. Really," Cal said as he stood up and shook Alex's hand goodbye.

* * *

Piper had made a stop by the library to visit Poussey. She was already feeling a bit buzzed by the time she made it to movie night. As usual, she was all alone. The only reason she went was because she knew it would be dark enough to drink there. She sat in the back, and stared blankly at the screen as she went over and over in her head how Alex could betray her like this. Was breaking her heart not enough that she had to steal her business too? She watched as Alex and Steely sat together very closely a few rows from the front. From her perspective it looked like Steely was whispering in her ear. She was pissed. She was sick of them. They could have each other for all she cared now. She was done with Alex. This was the straw that would finally break the camel's back. This was war.

She watched as Alex got up to leave. She wasn't sure where she was going—maybe to the bathrooms— but wherever she was going, Piper was following. She downed the rest of the hooch, and slipped out after Alex. The liquor burned in her veins, and she was ready for a confrontation.

Sure enough, Alex headed for the bathrooms. Piper watched as she went in, then she looked around to make sure there were no guards around. She darted in after Alex. When she went in, Alex was standing at the sink, running water and looking in the mirror. She noticed Alex jump when she came in.

"Jesus, Piper. You scared me," Alex said as she turned to face Piper. She noticed Piper looked about as good as she felt. She had a strange frantic look on her face too. "What? What is it Piper?"

"You know, I just wanted to thank you, Alex. You see, I've been struggling for a while since we broke up, but today… today you've made it so much easier for me to finally be done with you. And I fucking thank you for that. Thank you for fucking me over and allowing me to see your true colors," Piper said as she slurred out the last sentence.

"What? What are you talking about, Piper? Are you drunk?" Alex asked as she noticed Piper swaying.

"No, I'm not fucking drunk. Are you?"

"You're slurring your words, and you can't even stand up straight. What's going on with you, Piper?"

"You don't have to worry about me anymore, Alex. I'm done with you. You've broken my heart for the last time, but I'm going to make you pay for stealing my business."

"What?! I don't know what you're talking about. You're obviously drunk and talking out of your ass right now."

"I saw Flaca meet you in the greenhouse this afternoon. She dropped off panties to you. Don't try to deny it."

 _Fuck me_ , Alex thought. "Look Piper, you don't know what you saw, but I can promise you it had nothing to do with your panty business."

"Right, Alex. Like your promises mean anything. I know what I saw. Someone's been stealing my girls and trying to undermine my business, and for a moment I thought it might be Flaca… but then I remembered who Flaca was and she couldn't be capable of pulling off something like this, but you could. You were the brains behind it in the first place. How could you do this to me, Alex? Haven't you done enough?" Her voice started to break.

"You really think I would do that to you, Piper? Honestly, after everything we've been through? You think I would betray you like that? Kick you when you're down?"

Piper just stared at her, "Yes, I think that's exactly what you would do."

"Well, fuck you, Piper. I guess you never really knew me at all," she walked past Piper and out of the bathroom. Piper just stood there for a while. She was hurt and angry and she just wanted to hit something. She turned to leave, but someone cut her off. Stella.

"Hello there, Chapman. Guess who's back?" she said with a smirk.

And that was all it took. Piper punched her right her in her smug little face. She screamed out for help, but that didn't stop Piper. She just kept punching. It felt like that night in the snow with Pennsatucky, except this time she didn't knock the girl's teeth out. She didn't get the chance. Stella's screaming attracted several guards. The last thing she remembered before passing out was lying on the cold hard concrete block of a bed in the SHU.

* * *

Alex heard the screaming as she walked down the corridor back to the movie room. She stopped quickly and turned around and ran back towards the bathrooms. By the time she got there Aydin and two other guards were pulling Piper off of some bloody-faced girl. They told Alex to stay back, even though she protested. She watched as the two other guards took Piper away to the SHU. A female guard and a nurse showed up to take care of the other girl.

Aydin saw Alex, and pulled her over to the side. "Looks like your other girlfriend has got her ass in some trouble. You sure know how to pick them, Vause."

Alex just ignored his comments. All she could think about was Piper going to the SHU, and maybe even to Max depending on how badly this girl was beaten. She needed to talk to her and make her see that she didn't try to steal her business. She didn't want Piper thinking that she could hurt her like that. It hurt her that Piper could even think that. "I need to talk to her, Aydin. Can you get me in the SHU with her?"

"Um, why the fuck would I want to do that? So you can get some pussy? No, you have a job to do. You can't sell drugs if you're locked up in the SHU."

Alex had to convince him, so she told him the only thing that might. "She saw Flaca drop the drugs off to me this afternoon. I need to talk to her to convince her to keep quiet about that. She's pretty pissed at me right now, and I don't know what she'll do."

"Fucking hell, Vause. You better fix this. If not, she's dead and you're dead too."

"I will, but I need to get into the SHU. With her. I know it's crowded as fuck in there, having two prisoners in the same cell is kind of the norm now, right?"

"Okay, but you're gonna have to do something to get thrown in there, I got all these other guards here right now. I need to make it look legit. Do you have something in mind, or do you want to just…"

Before he could finish Alex had cocked back and punched him as hard as she could in the nose. She felt it crack beneath her knuckles, and fuck if it didn't feel good.

"You stupid bitch!" Aydin yelled. "I think you broke my nose. You're going to the SHU inmate."

* * *

A/N – Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I really didn't want to bring Stella back, but I thought it might be fun. Maybe Alex can get a little revenge on her too. As always, I look forward to reading your reviews. -J


	22. Chapter 22 Perchance to Dream

Chapter 22

Perchance to Dream

Piper's vision was blurred, her head was pounding, and she was wondering where the hell she was. Slowly, her memory started to return. She had been arguing with Alex in the bathroom and when she turned to go she ran into Stella. _Oh fuck_ , she thought. She sat up and pulled her knees into her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She noticed her knuckles were bruised and bloody. She got up to wash her hands. Then she heard keys unlocking the cell door. She turned around slowly to see Alex being led into the cell by that creepy guard that always stared at her. For some reason, he had a bloody nose _. God, did I punch him too_ , Piper wondered.

"Make yourself at home, inmate," Aydin said as he uncuffed Alex.

"No! She cannot be in here with me," Piper yelled out as she threw a roll of toilet paper at Alex, who ducked, and it ended up hitting the guard.

"Dammit, Vause, do something with your bitch," Aydin said as he threw down an extra blanket and pillow and walked back out locking the cell door. "You've got a week."

The alcohol was affecting Piper's thought process. She didn't understand why Alex was here. Wasn't it enough that she had landed herself in the SHU, but now she was going to be locked in this tiny cell with Alex? Being this close to Alex was never a good idea. Piper never understood how she could make her feel like she wanted to run to her and away from her at the same time. _Be strong, Piper, as much as you want to rip her clothes off, she's stealing your business_ , Piper told herself.

"Why the _fuck_ are you here, Alex?"

"I heard screaming coming from the bathroom—I thought it was you screaming. I went back to check, but when I got back in there the guards were already taking you away…"

"So they just let you come down here to what… torture me?"

"No, I punched the guard so he would throw me in here with you because I didn't want you in here all alone and thinking that I had fucked you over."

"I'm in the SHU. I'm supposed to be alone. I'm used to being alone… it's the only thing that feels normal to me now." Tears started to form in her clear blue eyes. She knew she was drunk and crying, and she hated the fact that Alex was seeing her like this. She didn't want Alex to see her cry. She didn't want her to know how broken she really was. "And you _did_ fuck me over, Alex!" she said as she walked up to Alex and pushed her. "That's what you're best at, fucking me over," she pushed her again. "Do you get off on my pain and suffering? Is that it? Why do you hate me so much?" She stopped pushing Alex when her back was against the wall, and walked back across the cell afraid of being too close to Alex. Then she held her head down solemnly and said, "You broke my heart, Alex, and now you're stealing my business. I don't understand. I know I've hurt you too, but I could never do this to you."

Alex hated seeing Piper likes this. If there was a rock bottom, Piper was at it. Alex was tired of being the one that caused her so much pain. She had to admit that Piper was right. She had fucked Piper over. She was the reason Piper was in here in the first place, and she was still fucking her over by not telling her the truth about everything. _Fuck it, I can't do this to her anymore. I love her too much,_ she thought.

She walked across the cell to Piper. Piper was still angry and crying. Alex took off her glasses and placed them on top of her head. Then she gently took Piper's face in both hands and lifted her head so that she could look her in the eyes. "It's not me, Piper. I'm not trying to steal your business. I wouldn't do that to you. And deep down in your heart, you know that," she said softly, as she wiped tears from Piper's face.

Piper was trying to resist, but feeling Alex's touch, the warmth from their close proximity, and the way Alex was looking at her felt amazing. "Don't Alex, don't come over here with your soft, warm hands and your gorgeous hair and face. It's not going to work."

Alex didn't let her go, "Piper, listen to me. It's not me. I know we've put each other through hell and we've lied to each other too many times to count, but I'm not lying to you now. I need you to believe me, please Piper. I swear to you on my mom's soul that I'm telling you the truth right now."

Piper stared into Alex's eyes. Her eyes were so familiar that she almost knew them by heart. Every fleck and every shade of green that they were—her eyes always felt like home. Piper knew when she looked into them now that Alex was telling her the truth. "But… I saw Flaca. What did she drop off with you? If it wasn't panties, what was it?"

"Ugh, I wish I could tell you, but it's really in your best interest if you don't know too much." Alex noticed Piper was starting to sway again, and Alex quickly helped her back onto the bunk and she sat beside her. "Pipes, why are you drinking? This isn't like you."

She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or what, but she didn't feel like being strong anymore, she just wanted to spill her guts out to Alex. "It's the only thing that makes me feel better. I just feel so lonely, and every time I see you… you're with Steely and you look so happy, and I can't handle it. I needed some way to numb the pain. I've never been good on my own, and being in here—in prison—it makes it so much harder." Piper looked at Alex. She noticed Alex looked hurt by what she was saying. "Alex, I just want you to know something. I should have said this a long time ago, but I want to say it now…"

Alex looked at Piper, and put her finger over her lips before she could say anything. "Whatever it is you're going to say, don't. I don't want to hear the alcohol talking. When you sober up, if you still want to tell me, I'll listen. I have some things I want to say to you too, but I want you to remember it tomorrow. So, right now, why don't you just lie down and try to sleep this off."

Piper's head was spinning. She looked down at the hard bunk and then back at Alex, "I'm really glad you're here with me. I'm afraid if I fall asleep, I'll wake up and you won't be here."

Alex felt her heart race as Piper said this. She really was the cutest drunk ever. She was almost childlike, like she needed to be taken care of. "I'll still be here, I promise," she said as she stood up to give Piper the bed.

Piper smiled and started to lie back on the bunk, "Alex..."

"Yeah?"

"Come be my little spoon."

Alex laughed, "Hey, that's my line."

"Please, Alex. Don't make me beg, because I will. I just want one night of not feeling so alone. Even if you don't love me anymore, you still feel like love to me," Piper mumbled, getting sleepier and sleepier.

Alex was surprised by Piper's drunken words. How could she resist? All she had wanted to do for months now was to hold Piper in her arms and just forget about everything else. "Okay, but you're the little spoon," she said as she climbed into the small bunk and cuddled behind Piper. Their bodies fit together perfectly and Alex wrapped her arms around Piper and buried her head into Piper's hair and neck. "God, you smell good."

Piper giggled, "What? I haven't showered in days. I can't imagine what I smell like."

Alex breathed her in again, and said, "You smell like love. Sweet dreams, Pipes."

* * *

Even though Piper was warm and comfortable in Alex's arms, her sleep was plagued with strange, drunken dreams. It was like memories of things that had already happened with Alex long ago mixed with nightmarish scenes.

 _They were on their trip to Paris. The trip that forever changed Piper's life. The trip when she left behind the love of her life right when her mom died._

 _Alex had been working extremely hard, and didn't have much time for anything other than work. Piper had been spending most of her time at Café St. Regis. It had become her home away from home while Alex was working. She would come here to read, check her email, or just people watch. It had a terrific view of the Seine._

 _Piper was busy typing and scrolling away, but when she looked up she noticed someone at the bar was watching her. The guy had dark hair and cold dead eyes, and Piper recognized him as one of Kubra's guys._ Fuck, did Alex have me followed? What the fuck?

 _She left money on the table for her café au lait, and quickly headed for the restrooms._ Fucker can't follow me in here. _Once inside, she made sure no one else was in there and then she climbed out the window. She took the back alley to the next street over and headed back to their apartment the long way around. She was livid._

 _When she got back to the apartment, Alex was on a phone call, but Piper didn't care. "Alex, did you have me fucking followed?"_

 _Alex told the person on the phone that she would call them back. "What?"_

 _"Did you have me followed? I saw one of Kubra's guys watching me at the café."_

 _"No, I didn't have you followed? Who was it?"_

 _"I don't know… creepy, dark hair and eyes… I usually see him with a toothpick in his mouth."_

 _"Aydin," Alex mumbled to herself. "Maybe he was just there having coffee or something. You're being paranoid. I would never have you followed, Piper."_

 _Piper let it go. She believed Alex, and maybe the guy was just there having a coffee. She still felt a little uneasy about it._

Piper's dream then suddenly shifted into a nightmare scenario, and even though it never really happened, it seemed so real.

 _She had just escaped the café by jumping out the restroom window. This time as she headed up one of the back alleys, the guy that had been watching her suddenly appeared in front of her and cut her off._

 _She was frightened. She had seen him once or twice with Kubra, but she didn't know him by name. He always gave her the creeps. She didn't know what he was capable of, and she didn't know why he was following her. She tried to scream out, but he grabbed her and forced her up against the wall hard. He put his hands around her throat and started to squeeze. All she could see was his cold dead eyes. She could feel herself slipping away, then it was like she watching the scene from above. Only instead of the guy choking her, he was choking Alex._

Piper woke up screaming and sat straight up, "ALEX!"

Alex jumped up too. "Jesus, Piper… what is it?"

Piper looked at her as she was trying to catch her breath, "Alex… Oh my God! The guard… the one that brought you in here. He works for Kubra!"

* * *

A/N – A short little chapter to get you through the week. I think their time in the SHU may span over a few chapters. They have a lot to talk about. Yeah, the title of the chapter is from _Hamlet_ , but it's also the title of a classic episode from _The Twilight Zone_ series. I hope you enjoyed, and please review! -J


	23. Chapter 23 City of Love

Chapter 23

City of Love

Alex wasn't sure how, but somehow during Piper's drunken slumber she had realized that Aydin worked for Kubra. Alex had hoped that Piper wouldn't remember him since she only met him a couple of times. Now the proverbial cat was out the bag.

Piper grabbed Alex's arm, "Alex…"

Alex sat up and leaned against the wall, "Pipes, how did you… ?"

"I just had a dream about the trip to Paris. Remember me telling you about the guy that followed me that time… it was him. I saw his face in my dream and I recognized him as the creepy toothpick guard. Fuck, I _knew_ he looked familiar," Piper said.

Alex quickly realized that Piper had sobered up now. She guessed it was morning, but she couldn't be sure. She had almost forgotten that Aydin was the one that had followed Piper while they were in Paris. Piper had accused her of having her followed, but Alex knew that was something only Kubra would do. She remembered the discussion she had with Fahri about it afterwards.

 _Alex had been swamped with work this whole time so far in Paris. She knew Piper was upset at her, she had even accused her of having her followed. Alex planned to speak to Fahri about that later. Right now, she was working hard to tie up some loose ends so that she could spend some quality time with Piper before they had to leave again. She had a very special surprise for Piper, but it had to wait until she had finished her business first._

 _That afternoon, Fahri stopped by so that they could strategize. There was an extremely large shipment that they had to move that required a ton of mules and logistical planning. Usually finding mules was easy, but in Paris it was harder. Their airport security had gotten a lot stricter recently, and it was almost impossible to get through with large amounts of drugs on a person. Each mule had to carry a minimum load, which caused them to be short on mules._

 _Alex suggested partying it up a few more nights and recruiting at least a dozen more mules, but Fahri didn't know if that would be enough. Right now, their immediate need was for someone to go to Istanbul for a quick trip to pick up some cash._

 _"Alex, you're not going to like this, but Kubra wants you to ask Piper to go to Istanbul."_

 _"What!? No fucking way. I told you I'd never ask her to do that again, Fahri."_

 _Fahri looked at Alex very seriously, and then warned her, "Kubra's not asking, Alex."_

 _"Why, why Piper? We can get anyone to go to Istanbul. Fuck, I can go to Istanbul alone and be back the next day."_

 _"You know what this is about. Since you told Kubra about your little surprise, he wants to make sure he can trust Piper. That you can trust her too. He's been a bit suspicious about her for a while. He doesn't understand why she doesn't participate more in the business. If she's going to be with you going forward, I think he just needs some kind of proof that she is willing to be a team player. To go the extra mile for her woman—and in essence, for Kubra too."_

 _"Is that why he's having Aydin follow Piper, because he doesn't trust her? And thanks for letting me know about that," Alex said sarcastically._

 _"Sorry, Kubra's orders," Fahri said while shrugging his shoulders. "He wants to keep an eye on her. Make sure she's not up to anything."_

 _"Fuck, I should have never told you guys."_

 _"You know you'd have to eventually, Alex."_

 _"God, she's going to be so pissed off. She's already pissed at me for working so much this trip and not spending any time with her. She'll never agree to it."_

 _"If she really loves you, she will. She will do it for you. She may not like it, but she will. Maybe you should give her the ring first, then she might be in a better mood," Fahri said, grinning._

 _Alex scoffed, "No, I have a really nice, romantic, fairy tale thing all planned out. Girls like that, right?"_

 _"Fuck if I know, but this is the city of love. What better place to propose, I guess," Fahri laughed. "You sure you want to do this, Alex? I mean… married? You? You've only known her a year or so… and she's never even introduced you to her family."_

 _"I know what I've said about marriage before, but ever since I met Piper… I can't imagine my life without her. She's the most amazing person I've ever known. I just feel like she's the one for me. She's my person."_

 _"Have you told your mom?"_

 _Alex laughed, "Of course. Mom loves Piper and she's already making plans for the wedding. I have no idea what or even if Piper would tell her parents. Fuck… I don't even know if Piper will say yes."_

 _"Just make sure you get her to Istanbul, then all your fairy tale happy endings can come true."_

Alex snapped back to the present when Piper jumped up and ran for the toilet.

"I see you're still a lightweight, huh, kid?" Alex said as she got up to hold Piper's hair back.

"Ugh, yep, the hooch is still stronger than Pinot Grigio," Piper said as she sat on the floor by the toilet.

Alex took off her outer shirt and wet it in the sink, and wiped Piper's face and mouth as best she could.

Piper looked up at her and asked softly, "Alex, you're in danger. How long have you known?"

Alex sat back down on the edge of the bunk and looked at Piper sitting directly across from her on the floor. She knew there was nothing left to do now but to tell Piper the truth. She didn't want to keep lying, especially since now Piper knew about Aydin. She was afraid if she didn't tell Piper everything, then Piper would do something on her own and probably end up getting them both killed.

"Ever since the lake incident. He cornered me in the greenhouse. I thought he was going to kill me," Alex began.

"God, this is all my fault, Alex. I got you thrown back in here when you could have escaped from all of this, and now you're trapped in here with someone that may kill you. You were right all along… you weren't just being paranoid. And I… I abandoned you because of it." Her voice was shaky and she was on the verge of tears, "No wonder you hate me."

"You're right… it is your fault that I'm back in here, but this whole thing with Aydin and Kubra… that's not your fault. This was me. I never should have testified against him. I knew what a sick bastard he was, and I did it anyway because I thought I could finally put an end to him. I should have known that he would weasel his way out of it. And, I don't hate you, Piper."

"But you don't love me either. You love Steely now. Everyone can see that. And I don't blame you, I mean, she's hot and smart and her boobs are bigger than mine."

"Okay, maybe you haven't sobered up yet," Alex said while raising a questioning brow.

"I'm sober. That nightmare I just had sobered me right up. I'm a little groggy, but I'm sober. So wait, Kubra hasn't killed you. Why is the creepy guard here? Please tell me what's going on, Al. I know I wasn't a very good girlfriend to you, and I left you when you probably needed me the most, but I'm here now. As a friend, or as an ex-lover… whatever you need me to be. I'm here."

Alex felt comfort in those words. Even if they haven't figured out their relationship problems yet, she felt so relieved to finally tell Piper the mess she was in right now. Talking to Nicky and Steely was one thing, but talking to Piper was like talking to her best friend. Maybe because she was.

"Kubra sent Aydin here to force me into working for him again."

"Wait, work for him… in prison, how?" Piper asked.

Alex hated to say it, but there was no getting around it. "Selling drugs… here at Litchfield."

Piper's jaw dropped, "Alex, no! You cannot do that again. What if you get caught? They'll send you to Max, they'll extend your sentence. No, Alex, no."

"I had no other choice, Piper. I promise you."

Piper nodded. She knew what she meant. If she didn't sell drugs, Kubra would kill her. "So it's been you all along? Not the girl who is the cousin of Pablo Escobar?"

"You mean El Chapo?"

"What? She's related to him too? The Mal girl or whatever her name is?"

"Yeah, everyone thinks it's her, apparently. But, guess what? It's not. It's me. I'm the drug dealer," Alex laughed half-heartedly.

"Alex, you need to go to Caputo. Tell him about the guard and how he's forcing you to do this. He can help you, Alex, please," Piper begged.

"I can't, Piper. Kubra will kill me for sure… and you," Alex said.

"Me?" Piper stood up. She was starting to panic now. "Why me?"

"Aydin made it clear that day in the greenhouse that if I didn't do what Kubra asked, then he would kill us both. He would kill you first and make me watch. I told you the fucker is sick, Piper. Don't you see? I've been doing this to protect us both. I have to do it. There's no way out for me. I'm so fucked… you have no idea."

"Who else knows about this? Does Nicky know? Is that why Flaca dropped something off to you yesterday?

"Nicky doesn't know. I'm trying to keep an eye on her for Red, the last thing I would do would be to involve her. Flaca isn't really in on it. She just picks up the package that comes in every week and drops it off to me. She gets paid well to not ask a lot of questions."

"Does Steely know?"

Alex noticed that Piper sounded a little jealous. "Yeah, she's been helping me. I was going to recruit several girls to help me sell, but Steely seemed to think that just the two of us could handle it, and she was right. So far, we've been doing pretty well."

"Well, good for you and Steely."

Yep, Piper was jealous. "Look, I know you think there's more going on between me and Steely, and you're right, but it's not what you think. I need to keep Steely close because I trust her, and I really couldn't have pulled this off without her help. That's why when you asked me to make that choice—to stay away from Steely, I knew that I couldn't. I wasn't doing it to hurt you, Piper. I've been doing all this to keep you safe. I never wanted to involve you. I thought since you didn't recognize Aydin that you didn't remember him."

"Have you fucked her?" Piper asked point blank.

"Really, I tell you all this and that's what you want to know? That's not important, Piper."

"It's important to me. I want to know. You say you trust her and you need her… that sounds like a relationship to me."

"Oh, like the relationship you had with Stella BEFORE we even broke up, I might add?"

Piper rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Alex. Yes, I cheated on you. See? I can admit it. I fucked up. I cheated because I'm a self-absorbed narcissist who always needs attention, and when I didn't get it from you, I looked elsewhere. That's just who I am. You know that. You know me better than anyone. At least I can admit my faults."

"Oh, and I can't? What would you like to hear me admit, Piper? That I'm the one responsible for you being in prison? Okay, I admit it. It's my fault you're in here because I was still pissed off at you for leaving me in Paris… when my mom died. You left me then when I needed you the most, and you left me again in here when I thought I was going to get killed. Here's something else I can admit too. I'm vulnerable. Especially when it comes to you. You broke my fucking heart when you left me in Paris, and you broke it again when you cheated on me with Stella. You're my fucking weakness, Piper."

"Well, you broke my heart too, Alex, when you asked me to be your fucking drug mule again in Paris. I loved you and I trusted you so much, and I never thought you would ask me to do that again after the first time. You told me Kubra would have had me killed if that bag was lost, and I just couldn't understand how you could ask someone that you love to be put in that position again. So, yes, I left you. I hated to leave you when your mom died, but I knew if I didn't leave then, I would have never been able to walk away. And, at that time, I thought that was the best decision for me. But you don't know how I suffered after we broke up. My heart was broken too, Alex. I felt like I had lost the love of my life."

Alex looked up at Piper, "It was Kubra. He made me ask you to take that trip to Istanbul. I never wanted to ask you, but I didn't have a choice at that time. I wanted to tell you, but then things got so crazy with my mom dying. I never got to tell you the truth."

"What? Why would he make you ask me?"

Alex hesitated a bit. Did she really want to tell Piper about this? "Umm, I don't know... he needed to make sure you could be trusted."

"Why, I wasn't a part of his business? Why would he need to know if he could trust me, Alex?"

"Because I was going to fucking ask you to marry me."

* * *

A/N – I have no idea how long Alex and Piper were together before they broke up. I've been trying to figure it out, but they don't give us too much to go on. And what's up with Piper saying they hadn't seen each other in five years and Alex says eight years… or something like that? Anyway, I'm assuming that at the time they broke up in Paris that they had been together a year or two. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and there's still at least two or three more chapters in the SHU. Maybe more. They have a whole week, right? I'll try to update again as soon as humanly possible. Please review, it makes my day! Thanks! -J


	24. Chapter 24 Star-Crossed Lovers

Chapter 24

Star-Crossed Lovers

Piper was shocked by this revelation. She had to sit down on the bunk beside Alex. Alex was going to propose to her in Paris and what did she do? She had dumped her and left her all alone when her mom died. The person she loved most in this world. She felt awful. She looked at Alex and she started to cry. "You were going to propose?" she asked incredulously. "To me?"

Alex couldn't believe she had just told her this. She had kept this a secret for over a decade. She had never intended to tell her, but now she felt like Piper needed to know everything. She was going to put it all there, no holds barred and whatever happened this week in the SHU would probably determine the rest of her life. She didn't know if they would be able to work out their problems, but she wanted to try. She loved Piper now just as much as she loved her the day she had left her. She was still her person, and she was worth fighting for.

"Yes, Piper. I was crazy about you. I didn't want to imagine living my life without you by my side. I know it was stupid. I mean, we hadn't known each long, and you weren't exactly forthcoming with your family about our relationship. I know I didn't have much to offer you, except a world of crime and danger. I knew you loved the excitement and the adventure of it, but I was never sure if you could be in it for the long run. But I wanted to find out. I wanted to marry you. I wanted my mom to see me marry the girl that I love," Alex paused as she got choked up, and started to cry. "But none of that ever happened. I've been broken since the day you left me, and I only started to feel whole again when you came back into my life. Then we tore each other apart… again. I don't know if I can ever be put back together, Piper."

Piper brought her hand up to Alex's cheek and rubbed it with her thumb and said, "I know." Then she pulled Alex into her and let Alex cry on her chest while she stroked her hair. She leaned back against the wall and just held her. Hot tears streamed down her face as well. She loved the woman she was holding so much. How could she have ever hurt her so badly? She felt like the worst person in the world right now. Could Alex ever forgive her? And more importantly, could she ever be the person worthy of Alex's forgiveness. Her thoughts started to drift back to that day in Paris when she left Alex.

 _After Piper had stormed out of the apartment, she went to call her parents. She needed a plane ticket home, and she knew she couldn't afford it so she had no other choice but to call her parents. She didn't give them a lot of details, obviously; instead she just told them that she was homesick. They agreed to buy her ticket, and soon everything was set for her to leave that evening. Now she just had to do the hardest thing ever. She had to go back and face Alex. She wasn't sure she could actually do it. Walk away from this girl she loved so much. She knew it was going to be hard, but she knew she had to be strong and do this for herself._

 _She quietly entered the apartment and found Alex sitting on the bed. She had been crying, and for once she wasn't on the computer or cell phone. She saw Piper come in and she jumped up from the bed and came over to her._

 _"Pipes, please. I know you're upset with me, and you should be… but please don't go. We can get through this. You don't have to go to Istanbul, I'll go. And when I get back we'll do something just the two of us… I have something really special planned, and…"_

 _Piper cut her off, "Alex, stop. Please. This is hard enough. Please don't make it harder by promising me things that you can't deliver. You've made it perfectly clear what your priorities are and… it's not me. I think that I deserve someone that can put me first. Someone that doesn't use me."_

 _"Use you? I've only asked you twice to do something for me. I do shit for you all the time, Piper. I've taken you all over the world, bought you whatever you wanted, and been there for you through all of your crazy drunken nights crying about how your parents never loved you enough. And what have you done for me? You're leaving me because I ask you to do one simple thing for me. God, you're so selfish, Piper!"_

 _"I'm selfish? I'm the one that's given up everything to be with you… my job, my family, and my friends. And yes, you've taken me all over the world and bought me things, but I'm not giving up my life to be your drug mule. I love you, Alex, but I can't do this anymore. This lifestyle is crazy and exciting, but it's also dark and dangerous. I'm scared, Alex. I'm scared that I'll always be second best to your career as a drug dealer. I don't want to be second."_

 _And like always, Alex's cell phone rang and Alex ran to answer it._

 _Piper started throwing her stuff into her suitcase. God, this was hard. She hated this. She wished Alex would choose her. She wished that Alex would tell Kubra and Fahri to fuck off and that she would whisk her away to some warm secluded beach, like Cambodia, where they could just live their lives as normal people with normal jobs. Piper could be a waitress again, and Alex… she could do anything. She was brilliant. She just couldn't see it because she had been brain washed for so long by Kubra and Fahri. She was addicted to her job and Piper knew that she'd never choose her over the job._

 _If Alex could have just shown her the slightest bit of hope… that she truly did put her above everything else and wanted a future with her, she would have stayed. But as she watched Alex on her cell phone, pacing the floor, and planning a trip for some unsuspecting drug mule, she knew there was no hope._

 _She pretty much had everything packed, but she couldn't find her passport. She noticed Alex was off the phone and watching her, and she stopped. Alex looked so beautiful it almost hurt to look at her. She stood up, and crossed the room and stood in front of Piper._

 _"Please don't leave. I'll do whatever you want, just please don't leave me. You're everything to me… I can't exist without you, Piper," Alex sobbed._

 _"Alex, I'm sorry. I really am, but I can't do this anymore. I'll always love you, but oftentimes even star-crossed lovers aren't meant to be." She reached up and kissed Alex softly on the lips. One last kiss goodbye._

 _She heard Alex's cell phone ring again, and of course, Alex went to pick it up. Piper wiped her eyes, and started looking for her passport again._

Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by the cell door sliding open. A guard appeared and told them it was time for the showers. Piper cringed. She remembered how these showers went from her previous stays in the SHU. However, she was relieved to finally have a shower. She had been grungy for far too long now. She now felt a bit happier and wanted to feel clean and fresh again. Even if it would be a cold SHU shower with pervy guards watching while you're handcuffed to the wall.

Alex and Piper got up and turned around so that the guard could cuff them.

"Inmate Vause, this is for you," the guard said while handing Alex a small stack of books and toothbrush and toothpaste.

Someone from upstairs must have sent it down. Alex guessed it was Nicky. She was thankful for the toothbrush.

Piper was disappointed that no one from upstairs had sent her a care package, but honestly, who would? Big Boo? Red? No one cared that she was down here. She looked over to Alex and said, "Hmmm, is that from your girlfriend, Steely?"

God, Alex loved jealous Piper. "Be nice, now, Pipes. If you're nice, I might just share my toothbrush with you," Alex said as the guard led them out of the cell.

At the showers, they removed their clothing and then the guard cuffed them to the wall and walked away. Piper was relieved that this particular guard wasn't pervy and didn't seem interested in watching. She started the water, which was lukewarm, and she used the bar of soap that the guard had given them. She tried her best not to stare at Alex, but she found that difficult. She hadn't seen her gorgeous, naked body in months. She noticed that Alex seemed more lean and muscular. The grounds crew job was really doing wonders for her body. She looked hot.

Alex noticed Piper's eyes on her, so she had a little fun with her. "Pipes, can you do my back? I can't reach around being cuffed like this."

Piper swallowed hard. "Sure," she said. She took the bar of soap and gently lathered Alex's back. Her skin felt wonderful, and the muscles in her back and shoulders were taught. She didn't want to stop, but soon Alex's back was covered in soap suds. "Can you do me?" she asked innocently.

Alex smiled, and then turned around to face Piper. "Yep, turn around."

It took Piper a moment to turn around. Facing Alex front to front was almost too hard to resist. She finally managed to turn around, and she almost melted when Alex started touching her back. Alex's hands on her body felt magical. There was always this electricity between them when they touched. Piper felt Alex stop suddenly, and then she felt her trace her fingers over something on her left side. The infinity tattoo. She had forgotten that Alex had never seen it.

Alex laughed a little, and said, "Well, this is new. Who did this?"

"I did," Piper replied. "I know, I know… an infinity symbol is so cliché."

Alex came up behind Piper as close as she could, and whispered, "It's not cliché… I fucking love it."

Piper's breathing became shaky, she turned to face Alex. They were so close they were almost touching. Piper almost ached to touch Alex. As if they were both driven by some magnetic force, they leaned into each other. Their breasts were touching, and Piper could almost feel Alex's lips on hers. She wanted that more than she wanted to breathe right now.

"Inmates, no touching!" the not-so-pervy guard yelled.

Piper almost wished the guy was pervy. A pervy guard like Pornstache would have just watched. He wouldn't have stopped them.

Instead, they both backed away from each other and finished showering.

When they were done, they got dressed, and Alex did let Piper use her toothbrush. Piper was very thankful for that. The guard then returned them to their cell, and slid the door closed with a loud bang. Keys rattled, the lock clicked, and they were locked in again.

A split second later, Piper had Alex pushed up against the wall and her mouth was all over Alex's. She ran her hands up Alex's body feeling every inch of her. She felt amazing, and her lips tasted even better. She then moved her hands up to Alex's neck and face and then tangled her fingers in her silky hair. She bit down gently on Alex's bottom lip and tugged. Alex gasped, making Piper's knees weak.

"Wait, Piper," Alex said breaking the kiss, and catching her breath. "Hold up."

"What… what is it?" Piper asked. "Don't you want this as much as I do?"

Alex held onto Piper's wrists, "God, you have no idea… but do you think it's a good idea? I mean, we have barely talked about things, and here we go jumping into bed together. Don't get me wrong, it would be so hot… if there's one thing we're good at, it's sex. But maybe we need to take things slower this time. Maybe we need to get to know each other again."

"God, Alex… we already know each other," Piper pouted, and pulled away from Alex. "We're locked in here all alone… with a bed—albeit a small, uncomfortable bed, but a bed nonetheless. How many times do you think we'll get this opportunity again in here?"

"Probably never, but…"

Piper cut her off, "Wait, is this about Steely? You don't want to cheat on her, or what?"

"Jesus, Piper! This is not about Steely. I've never even fucked Steely. This is about me and you… you know, the two star-crossed lovers that keep fucking things up. And for once, I just want to see if we can actually put all of our shit out there—be brutally honest with each other about everything—and see if we still want to be together. I want to see if we can have any kind of realistic future together. I don't want to be just your fuck buddy anymore."

Piper was elated to hear that Alex had never fucked Steely. She hated the idea of sharing Alex with anyone else. Alex was hers, and better yet, Alex was standing before her now saying that she wanted a future with her. She knew Alex was right, that they shouldn't just jump into bed again, but she still wanted her. Right here and right now.

She walked up to Alex, gently pushed her hair back, and whispered in her ear, "Okay, how's this for brutal honesty… I would have said yes to you in Paris."

Alex could resist no longer. She grabbed Piper's face and kissed her intensely. "Fuck it, we'll talk tomorrow," she said as she pushed Piper towards the small bunk. "Today, you're all mine, and I'm going to make love to you all day and night."

* * *

A/N – In the words of Cindy "Bow-chicka-bow-wow!" More to come, no pun intended. Review, please and thanks! -J


	25. Chapter 25 Excessive

Chapter 25

Excessive

 _She walked up to Alex, gently pushed her hair back, and whispered in her ear, "Okay, how's this for brutal honesty… I would have said yes to you in Paris."_

 _Alex could resist no longer. She grabbed Piper's face and kissed her intensely. "Fuck it, we'll talk tomorrow," she said as she pushed Piper towards the small bunk. "Today, you're all mine, and I'm going to make love to you all day and night."_

Clothes went flying about the cell and soon the two were just down to their underwear. Piper was so impressed with herself because for once in her life she managed to undo Alex's bra with a swift one-handed movement. They were kissing each other as if they may never get to kiss each other again. They were both filled with such lust and desire for one another, it was almost like their very first time. Alex had no trouble removing Piper's bra, of course, and she unceremoniously threw it across the room. She kissed down Piper's neck, sucking hard as she went and she made her way to Piper's breasts. She scraped along one of her nipples with her teeth, pulled it in and bit down just enough to make Piper moan and whisper, "Oh… fuck… Alex."

Alex was so turned on by Piper's reaction, she grabbed Piper's panties and ripped them off her. Piper gasped out in surprise. Then she grabbed Alex's panties and proceeded to rip them off as well. Both completely naked now, they resumed kissing each other passionately while Alex pushed Piper against the wall. She started to slowly grind herself into Piper. They had done it this way many times before in the past, but it wasn't a position they were afforded here in prison. It was nice to be able to do this again. So nice. To show Alex how much she liked that, Piper grinded her hips up to meet her while wrapping her leg around her waist. Alex started to thrust faster and faster, their sweet spots touching ever so lightly in all the right places. "Oh God, Alex, keep doing that… I think I'm going to come." And she did. After a couple more thrusts, Alex followed right behind her.

"Come on, Piper, you can give me more, right?" Alex asked while spinning them around toward the bunk and lowering them onto the small mattress. Piper was flat on her back while Alex had crawled on top and positioned herself between Piper's long legs. Alex kissed Piper again, softly and thoroughly. She had missed kissing these lips, and she just couldn't get enough of them right now. She went to grab Piper's wrists to pin them above her head, when she noticed something strange. "What's this… another tattoo? 'Trust No Bitch'… is that fucking white ink? Did you do this one too?" Alex asked, laughing.

"No, it was stupid. Forget about we'll talk about it later, just keep kissing me."

Alex did as she was told, and made her way down Piper's body to where she wanted to be the most. Then she looked up at Piper from between her legs, and said, "Hang on tight, baby. I'm about to eat you for breakfast."

Piper grabbed onto the rails around the bed as Alex had her way with her. What Alex was doing to her with her tongue was absolutely amazing. Piper lifted up her head a little and saw the most gorgeous sight ever. Alex was completely naked and had Piper's legs pushed up against her shoulders. Her raven hair was draped all over her legs and stomach. It was the hottest thing ever, and seconds later Piper was screaming out Alex's and God's name over and over.

Alex crawled back up Piper's body and said, "Remember that night I made you come seven times?"

"Mmmm... How could I forget? Polly said it was excessive," Piper smirked.

"Oh, fuck her. Let's see if we can break that record, shall we?" Alex asked smiling down at the woman she adored.

"Yes, please," Piper said as she pulled Alex down for a searing kiss.

* * *

The two women lay naked and tangled together on the floor. They had taken their blankets to make it a little more comfortable. They were completely spent. It had to be close to midnight or later. Their dinner trays had come long ago, and were still untouched in the corner. Luckily the doors were so loud down here, that they could hear when the cell next door was opening. When they heard it, they knew they would be next, so they tore themselves off each other and threw clothes on every so often—although neither of them had wearable panties anymore.

"So, what are we up to now?" Piper asked while turning on her side to face Alex.

"Fifteen, I think. No, sixteen… remember the sink?" Alex asked laughing.

"Jesus, we're not going to be able to walk tomorrow," Piper joked.

"Good thing we don't have to," Alex said stroking Piper's hair. "We don't have to do anything for the next few days except each other."

Piper smiled. She was so happy right now, she'd almost forgotten where they were. "Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"I know I've asked this before, but why do you always feel so inevitable to me?"

Alex remembered the last time Piper had said this to her. They were snuggled up in her bunk, and Alex was caught off guard when Piper had said it. It was just so honest and sweet the way she said it. Just like now. "Because I heart you, Piper."

Piper smiled as she remembered this was what Alex had said before. "I more than heart you, Alex… I love you. I've always loved you… I just don't know what took me so long to finally say it to you. You were always the first to say it, and the one time I did say it to you, I was angry and said I hated you too. But I don't. I've never hated you. I hated myself for falling back in love with you, but now I realize that I never stopped loving you. And, Alex… I'm so sorry about Stella. I was so stupid. I should have never cheated on you. But most of all, I'm sorry that I was so selfish and got you thrown back in here. I'll never be able to forgive myself for putting you in danger."

Alex sat up, "Piper, I forgive you for that. When we had that stupid drama class thing, you made me see that you wanted me back. You didn't do it out of spite, you just wanted me. Do you know how good that made me feel? No one has ever loved me like you love me, Piper. You want to know something funny about that? When I had come to visit you that last time to say goodbye, you were so torn up and you looked so sad that I knew there was no way that I could skip town and leave you behind. I was going to stay in Queens and wait for you… hoping I wouldn't get killed first. I just didn't want to lose you again."

"God, Alex. Really? You were going to stay for me? And I got you locked back up anyway? Fuck, we really are a real life O. Henry story."

Alex rubbed Piper's knuckles with her thumb. "We can always change our story, Piper. Maybe we can have happy ending, maybe not. I don't know. All I know is that I want to try."

"I want that too, Alex. More than anything."

Alex reached down and kissed Piper again. "Mmm… shall we go for seventeen?"

* * *

A/N – Not an extremely long chapter, but enough to get you through the week I hope. Please review. Thanks for reading - J


	26. Chapter 26 My Inner 12 Year Old Boy

Chapter 26  
My Inner 12 Year Old Boy

After the day—and night—they had spent lost in each other, they were trying to catch up on their sleep. It was hard to sleep together in such a small bunk, but they managed. They finally had each other back and there was no way they were giving each other up now.

Alex awoke when she heard the cell doors sliding open a few cells down from them. She got up and quickly put on what clothes she still had. As of now, they just had shirts, pants, and socks. They had ripped their panties to shreds, and they were using their bras as various types of restraints.

Piper felt the space where Alex was in the bed grow cold, and she shot up. "Alex?"

"I'm here, Piper. I think the guards are coming, so you might wanna get dressed," she said as she lowered herself back on top of a naked Piper and kissed her.

"Mmm," Piper moaned while looking up at Alex. Then she had a look of panic that shot across her face. _Fuck, Alex is going to be so pissed_ , she thought.

"What's that look for?" Alex asked.

"Um, nothing… what day is it?" She asked for no particular reason other than to change the subject.

"I have no idea. I think we've been in here three days now. Fuck, you really can lose all sense of time in here. I don't know how you survived being in here all those times."

"It was hard. You have no idea. Being in here all alone is the worst. But, being in here with you… well, that's a whole other story," Piper said as she sat up and wrapped her arms around the beauty standing in front of her.

"Hey, Pipes, with all the shit that's been going on… I never got to ask you about the girl in the bathroom. The one you punched. Was it some random girl, or what?"

Piper stood up and started to get dressed. She didn't know how well Alex was going to react to her answer. "It was fucking Stella."

Alex was shocked, "What the fuck? What's she doing back here? I thought she was in Max."

"Yeah, me too. Turns out they've been sending a lot of non-violent offenders back up here. Lucky me."

"You really fucked her up, Chapman. She was so bloody, I didn't even recognize her."

"I just lost it. I'd had a really bad day, in my defense. Plus she deserved it."

Their cell door slid open loudly, and the guard came in and cuffed them and took them to shower. Alex kept noticing that Piper was awfully quiet and shy during their shower, and she didn't understand why. That is, until she got out of the shower and went to the sink to brush her teeth. She checked her reflection in the mirror and almost shit. She had a fucking necklace of hickeys across her neck and collar bone.

"Jesus, Piper, what the fuck is with you and hickeys these days? You're such a 12 year old boy."

Piper couldn't help but laugh. She knew Alex was mad, but that's what made it so funny. "I'm sorry. I got a little carried away again. You're just so easy to bruise. I think it looks totally hot, by the way."

"Hot?! I look like a trailer trash whore," Alex said trying to fix her shirt to cover them up a bit.

"My little trailer trash whore," Piper purred in her ear.

Shortly after they had made it back to the cell, the breakfast trays came along. It was stale toast, something that resembled Canadian bacon, and coffee. They were both thankful for the coffee. Just then their cell door slid open again, and in walked Mr. Caputo.

"Good morning, ladies. I hear you two have both had a couple of punching incidents that we need to discuss," he said while glancing through some files. "You first, Vause. I've spoken to the CO involved and he said you accidentally elbowed him when he was trying to calm you down. He said he was angry about it and threw you in the SHU unnecessarily. That being said, the paperwork is being processed now to get you out of here by the end of the day. You can report back to your same bunk and, of course, your job on the grounds crew."

Alex and Piper both looked at each other. This was too soon. They were supposed to have a week together.

"As for you, Chapman… well let's just say this is becoming a regular thing with you. This is the second inmate you've assaulted, and this time you don't have a scratch on you. So don't even try to argue self defense. This is also your fourth time in the SHU. Do you know what happens on your fifth trip to the SHU, inmate?"

Piper shook her head no.

"There is no fifth trip to the SHU. You get a one-way ticket down the hill to Max. And, because you're now classified as a 'violent-offender', you'll get to spend the rest of your time there with no hope of coming back here. Not to mention the added time to your sentence. Is this what you want, Chapman? Because I seem to remember a time when you were begging me to cancel a transfer. Seemed like then you really wanted to stay here. Have things changed?"

Piper was worried and scared. "No, I _do_ want to stay here. I certainly do not want to go to Max. There won't be a fifth time. From now on, I'll be on my best behavior, Mr. Caputo. I promise."

"For your sake, I hope so, Chapman. You'll spend the rest of the week down here, then you can return to your same bunk, but you'll have a new job assignment."

"Yes sir," Piper said quietly.

Caputo left and Alex went to sit on the bed beside Piper. She grabbed Piper's hand and held it and gently turned her cheek so that they were looking in each other's eyes. "Pipes, you have to promise me that you're not going to do anything else to get yourself into trouble. Do you understand? Nothing. No more drinking, no more fighting, no more panty business either."

"But..."

"No but's, Piper. I don't want you getting sent down to Max and I definitely don't want you doing anything to get your sentence extended. You have, what, six months left? That's nothing. You're going to be free from this place in six short months or even less. Don't do anything to fuck that up."

Piper nodded her head, "You're right, Alex. No more panty business, no more fighting or drinking either." She stood up and started to pace. "But, I don't want to even think about leaving you in six months."

"You'll have to, Pipes. That's something we're going to have to deal with. God only knows how much more time I have. And now this thing with the Aydin and the gun… it can really fuck me up. I could spend the rest of my life in here."

"Wait… gun? What gun? Are you talking about the parole violation? I thought that was already sorted out."

"Fuck. I haven't told you the best part yet. Shit," Alex said as she ran a hand through her hair and sat back against the wall. Piper stood before her, and she listened intently while Alex told her the whole story about Steely's family. She told her how she had just learned of their connection. And she told her how Aydin had killed Steely's mom and Kubra had set her up with the murder weapon, which was the same gun she got caught with by Davy Crockett.

"Oh my God, Alex," Piper said as she sat down on the bed beside Alex. "You have to tell someone. Your lawyer, Mr. Caputo… someone. You need help with this situation, you can't handle this on your own. Someone needs to stop Kubra once and for all."

"I tried to stop him before… you see how that worked out. I don't know who I can trust to help me out with this. My lawyer is a dumb fuck, and Caputo? Please, he's fucking useless. There's no one to help me. If I'm going to get out of this shit, it's on me."

"Not just you," Piper said as she took Alex's hand in hers. "You have me now. I can help you. We'll figure this out. Together."

Alex looked a little uneasy. "I don't know, Piper. I think it may be best if we keep our distance when we get out of here. I don't want things getting out of hand with Steely if she thinks we're back together. Not until I can figure out what to do. Plus, if shit does go south with me, I don't want you involved at all."

"Okay, that's a good idea and all, but one look at your neck and she's going to know," Piper smirked.

"Fuck. I keep forgetting about these stupid hickeys," Alex said pulling her shirt up around her neck again. Not that it helped in the least. "I don't know. I'll think of something to tell her. I'll say they're revenge hickeys. You put them there when I was asleep to shove it her face or something."

"Revenge hickeys? Really, Al?"

"Yeah… never heard of them? Don't worry, before I leave you're getting some," Alex smiled. "I'll just put them someplace more subtle, but you're getting them."

"Maybe you should just tell Steely the truth. I think she'll believe you. She seems pretty smitten with you. Plus, don't you think she deserves to know the truth about what happened to her mom?"

"I know, I know. I've thought about telling her the truth, but I'm afraid she'll go after Aydin and get herself killed. I'm just not sure of how she'll react. But you're right, she deserves to know the truth."

Piper stroked Alex's face softly, "Don't worry, we'll figure this out. We'll make those fuckers pay."

Alex nodded. She was so happy to have Piper back on her side. She felt like she could do anything with Piper's love and support. "I know, we will. And we're going to figure out who the bitch is that stole your panty girls too. Don't think I've forgotten about that."

"I guess it really doesn't matter now. I have to be done with it anyway," Piper said sadly. "Too bad though, it was what kept me going while… while we weren't together. It was all I had."

"You have me now. I'll be your only panty girl," Alex smirked. "And yes, we're still going to figure out who the fucker is."

Piper smiled. Then she remembered her agreement with Red. "Fuck, Red's going to be pissed."

"What?"

"Yeah, she was getting a cut each week of the panty profits. We had a deal. She helped me figure out how to be more profitable and in turn I put money in her commissary each week."

"I think she'll understand. She comes off tough, but I think she has a soft spot for you."

"I hope you're right. I'm not looking forward to that conversation though."

"Wanna trade? You take Steely and I'll take Red," Alex offered.

"Um, nope. No thanks."

They both sat on the bunk with their backs against the wall staring out at the other wall. "Alex, how did we get so fucked up? I mean, yes, we're locked up in the SHU in prison, but how did everything else get so fucked up too? How did I get to the point in my life where I'm smuggling dirty panties out of prison? And why do I keep fucking over the woman that I love?"

"I don't know. I wonder that sometimes too. Ten years ago, I was traveling the world with not a care in the world, and now I'm literally fighting for my life in prison. We've both fucked each other over but I, for one, am not going to do that anymore. You're the most important person in the world to me."

Piper looked at Alex, and she started to tear up. "I love you, Alex. I'm so sorry I've wasted so much time trying to deny that. I'm sorry I broke up with you in Paris. I'm sorry I chose Larry over you. I'm sorry that I got you thrown back in prison. And I'm sorry I cheated on you. You deserve so much better."

"I love you too, Piper. And I'm sorry for letting my career as a drug dealer ruin us. I'm sorry that I named you, and I'm sorry that I lied to you about it. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you, if you want."

"If you'll give me the chance, I'd like to be your girlfriend again," Piper said shyly.

Alex smiled, and Piper's heart melted.

"Hmmm, let me think about it," Alex joked. "Okay, you talked me into it."

"Really? Aww, you're so good to me," Piper said as she reached over and kissed Alex.

"You may not be saying that when I'm done with you," she said as she quickly grabbed Piper and pushed her back onto the bed. She tied her hands above her head to the bed with their bras. Then she came back down and kissed Piper passionately.

Piper was already excited the moment Alex tied her up. She really liked it when Alex dominated her like this. It was so fucking hot. She kissed Alex back and bit her bottom lip. She watched as Alex slowly took her shirt off to reveal her beautiful, full breasts. She hovered them over Piper's mouth so that Piper could suck on her nipples.

Alex then pushed Piper's shirt above her head and proceeded to tease her nipples by licking them and then blowing on them. She then made her way down to Piper's nicely toned abs. She started sucking hard in several different places. It took a while but she finally managed to do what she had set out to do. She sat up and admired her work. She had just successfully branded Piper with her initials in a trail of revenge hickeys across Piper's stomach. She couldn't help but laugh.

Piper raised her head up and looked down, "Nice. I see what you did there, Vause. My inner 12 year old boy is beaming with pride. You've branded me. I'm officially your sex cow."

"More like a sex kitten," Alex said while trying not to laugh.

"No one brands kittens," Piper replied. "Untie me."

"What, why? I thought you liked to be tied up."

"I do, but right now I want to be inside you."

Alex raised her brow, and she untied Piper's hands.

She sat up, threw her shirt on the floor, and quickly topped Alex. She loved the feel of their naked skin on each other. She started kissing her all over. She made her way down Alex's body, and with one swift movement she snatched off Alex's pants. She removed her own as well, and she took her place between Alex's legs. She playfully stroked Alex with her long fingers. Alex quivered beneath her. She took her time teasing Alex, and every time Alex would buck up for more, Piper would pull her fingers away. She could tell it was driving Alex insane.

"Piper, please, stop teasing me… I want you inside me so bad… please," she said as she was starting to writhe and squirm.

"Mmm, I like it when you beg, Alex. Beg me to fuck you, Alex."

"Please fuck me, Piper, I'm begging you… don't tease me like this any longer."

"I'm going to fuck you hard, Alex. Is that what you want?"

"Yes… please…" she could hardly form words now.

Piper knew she had her exactly where she wanted her. She was on the verge of coming already and Piper had barely touched her. She quickly parted Alex's lips and inserted two fingers deep and hard. Alex moaned at the sudden fullness. Piper almost came herself. She pumped her fingers in and out of Alex enjoying every second of it. She added a third finger while using her thumb to brush against Alex's extremely swollen nub.

She could tell Alex was trying to get inside her too, so she shifted up a little and let her in. She knew she was soaked and Alex's fingers slid right in. Alex also managed to grab hold of Piper's nipple and she was pinching it just right. Now they were both fucking each other hard and fast. They kept at each other until they were both screaming their release. It was always best when they could come at the same time.

They laid there holding onto one another. Neither wanted to let the other go, but they both knew their time together in here was quickly coming to an end. Both were scared of what would happen once they were outside these four walls. Piper knew she had to be quiet and calm the rest of her time in here, and Alex knew she had to come up with a way out the mess she was in with Kubra. They both hoped that they wouldn't lose each other again in the process.

Alex had almost drifted off to sleep when Piper sat up suddenly and said, "Alex, I've got it! I have a plan."

* * *

A/N – I think I can finally see the end of this fic in sight. I've really enjoyed writing it, and I've loved the reviews and hearing from you guys. I plan to write another after this one, but it'll probably be after the New Year. My life and work schedule gets to be pretty hectic from now until the New Year, so my goal is to wrap this one up before Thanksgiving next month. Have a great weekend, and please review. -J


	27. Chapter 27 Sounds Like a Best Seller

Chapter 27  
Sounds Like a Best Seller

Alex listened intently while Piper explained her plan. She was so impressed by Piper's skills as a mastermind. She was truly brilliant, and Alex wondered what it would have been like if they hadn't broken up in Paris long ago. They would have made a killer team in the drug business together.

"So… what do you think?" Piper asked looking at Alex for approval.

Alex took Piper's face in both hands, and said, "I think it's genius. It'll be hard as hell to pull off, but I think I can make this work."

"We. We can make this work," Piper emphasized. "I want to help you, Al. I don't want to be on the sidelines anymore, I want to be a part of this. Please don't shut me out again."

Alex knew Piper would want to help, but she knew she needed to keep Piper safe and out of trouble. "I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to help. I don't want you to get into any more trouble, especially because of me. I can do this. I have to do most of it on my own anyway. With the exception of…"

"Steely," Piper said quietly. She knew Steely had to be a part of the plan, and she knew that Alex's feelings for Steely were strictly plutonic, but she also knew how Steely looked at Alex. Steely wasn't in this just to be friends. She wanted Alex, and deep down that really bothered Piper.

Alex saw the look on Piper's face. She knew she was hurt. "Pipes, listen, we only have a few more hours in here. I don't want to spend it talking about Steely or Kubra or any of that. I want to spend it just talking to you. Things are going to be crazy when we're out of here. I just want to be with you right now. Just the two of us, and we can pretend we're on some warm, tropical island in the South Pacific. You're sipping on a margarita and I'm having a nice Shiraz. No, scratch that, no Shiraz… nothing Australian. No, I'm having a nice Bordeaux. French… much better."

Piper smiled, "God, I miss wine. I had some while I was out on furlough, and it was wonderful. You don't truly know what you're missing in life until you can't have it any more."

"I wish you would have been talking to me when you were out on furlough. It would have been so nice to see you on the outside. You would have made fun of my crumby little Queen's apartment though. It was so depressing."

"Well, once we're out of here for good, we'll get a nice place in Park Slope," Piper said settling down on the bunk and putting Alex's arm around her.

"Park Slope? Are you fucking kidding me?" Alex laughed. "So what… we'll start nesting and remodeling our three-bedroom, two and a half bath townhouse? You'll work at Whole Foods and I'll have a job at Starbucks? We'll walk our two dogs in the park while wearing Uggs and beanies? We'll start attending book club meetings with our neighbors? Mmm, sounds like a bourgeois wet dream."

Piper laughed at the thought of Alex working at Starbucks. "Okay, if that's too basic for you, what do you suggest?"

"What's wrong with the warm, tropical island? Perhaps French Polynesia or maybe the Maldives? I could sell beach chairs and umbrellas to tourists. You could write a book and become a famous author. You should write it about this… about being in prison. How a seemingly innocent young girl from Park Slope ended up in Litchfield for smuggling a suitcase full of drug money for her lesbian lover. Sounds like a best seller to me," Alex laughed.

Piper playfully slapped Alex's arm. "Stop it. But you know, that's not a half bad idea. I've always wanted to write something."

Alex looked at Piper, "The point is, once we're free from here… we can do whatever we want. Honestly, I don't care where we live. We can live in Park Slope and be snobs for all I care, or we can be beach bums until you get your first royalty check. I don't care. As long as I'm with you… that's all that matters to me."

Piper reached up and kissed Alex. "You know, this is the first real conversation about the future that we've ever had. I know we have a long way to go to get there, but for the first time I feel really optimist about us and our future. I feel like we can do this."

Alex kissed Piper back, "We can. We just have to be strong and get through the rest of our time in here. Look how far we've come just these past few days. A week ago I was so lost and losing more and more of myself each day. I knew what I was missing… I was missing you. Now that we're together, I feel whole again. Our love story—our best seller—is not done yet. It's only just begun."

Piper stroked Alex's cheek gently, "I once read a poem that reminded me of us _: 'The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don't finally meet somewhere, they're in each other all along.'_ That's us, Alex. We're always in each other. Kindred spirits, soulmates, whatever you want to call it… that's us."

"Oh my God, is that Rumi?" Alex asked.

"Yes, you know it?"

"That's crazy, Piper. Whenever you and I first broke up, Yoga Jones said the exact same thing to me about us."

"She's a smart lady," Piper said. "Yoga Jones will definitely be in my book."

* * *

Alex and Piper sat quietly on the bunk, holding each other. Alex's mind was racing on what needed to be done when she got back out into population. She had to pull this off. If she didn't she would either be in prison for the rest of her life, or dead. Neither of those were viable options. She _would_ make this work. With Piper's love and support, she was more determined than ever.

The door sliding open startled them both and they stood up quickly. Aydin walked in with cuffs out ready to take Alex back upstairs. His nose was still swollen and both eyes had rings of black under them. Piper wanted to launch herself at him, but she knew better. Part of the plan was to keep Aydin in the dark about what Piper knew. Alex said it was the best way to keep her safe.

"Time to go, Vause. Kiss your sweet little girlfriend goodbye."

Alex glared at him. She wished she had done more damage to him than just a broken nose. "Can you at least give us a minute of privacy? Please?"

For once, he didn't argue. He just rolled his eyes and stepped outside the cell.

Piper started to cry. "God, I didn't realize it would be this hard to say goodbye. I don't want to be alone, Alex. I just want to be with you."

"I know, baby. I want that too. But you only have a few more days down here, and then we can see each other again. Just think about how good it will be in a few days, okay, Pipes?" She kissed Piper gently. "I love you, Piper Elizabeth Chapman."

"I love you too, Alexis Colby Vause."

They kissed again and held each other until Aydin came back in. "Break it up, inmates. Let's go Vause, time's up."

Piper watched as Aydin cuffed the girl she loved. She watched as he led her out of the cell and she watched as the door slammed closed behind them. She stood, banging her fists on the door, and then melted onto the floor in a heap of sobs. She curled herself into the fetal position and cried herself to sleep.

* * *

"So, Vause, were you able to keep her quiet about what she saw or did you just spend the whole time fucking each other's brains out?" He asked while pointing at her neck.

"Yeah, I handled it. We don't have to worry about her anymore. And we're done. One final fuck, you know?" Alex lied.

"Okay, good, because we have another problem."

"What now?" Alex asked.

"Well, since you've been playing house down there with girlfriend number one, girlfriend number two has been trying to keep things handled up here. She's in over her head, and she didn't know where you hid the last shipment of drugs, so you've got girls fiending left and right in here. It's starting to get obvious, some of them are damn near full on withdrawals. I had to get you out early so you can handle your shit. This isn't my job, it's yours. I'm just here to keep your ass in line."

"Shit! Okay, I'll get it handled. I just need to talk to Steely first. Is she at work? Can I get a few minutes alone with her in the greenhouse so we can come up with a plan?"

"She's at work. That shouldn't be a problem. She's going to be pissed to see your neck, I bet," Aydin smirked. "I hope you can control this bitch too."

"Don't worry, I have plenty of experience dealing with jealous women."

* * *

Alex walked into the greenhouse and found Steely waiting for her. She ran up to Alex and hugged her tightly. Alex was surprised by the hug and guessed she hadn't noticed her neck yet. She hugged her back, although not as tightly.

Steely looked into Alex's eyes, "God, I've missed you. Are you okay? I heard you punched a guard and then when I found out it was Aydin…" she stopped, suddenly noticing Alex's neck. She backed away. "I heard Piper was down there too, but from the looks of things I'm guessing you already know that."

"Yeah, Steely, here's the thing… I need you to listen to me. I don't have a lot of time to tell you all of this, so I have to make it as brief as possible," Alex pulled her into a far corner so that she could be sure Aydin wasn't listening. "I'm sorry to hurt you, but I'm in love with Piper. And as amazing and wonderful as you are, I couldn't be with you because my feelings for Piper were too strong. I know that deep down you know that too, but I'm sorry for leading you on. The truth is, I didn't want to lose you as a partner. I like working with you, and I've always felt like I could trust you. Right now, I'm about to tell you something and it's not going to be easy to hear, but I need you to trust _me_. Can you do that, Steely?"

Tears were already streaming down Steely's face, "Yes, I knew that you still loved her, but I was still hopeful. I hoped that by sticking by you, that one day you would realize how good we could be, but I guess we're just not meant to be. That hurts, but I still trust you, Alex. So please, tell me whatever it is that you need to get off your chest. I'm still here for you, no matter what."

"God, I hope you still feel that way when I'm done. I don't know how to say this… there's really no easy way. I know who killed your mom."

"What!? Are you fucking serious, Alex? Who? How? What are you doing to me, Alex? Please don't fuck with me about my mom," Steely said as she fell apart. She dropped to her knees and put her hands over her face.

Alex knelt down in front of her, took her wrists, and pulled her hands away from her face so that she could look her in the eyes. "Steely, I wouldn't fuck with you, especially not about your mom. I didn't realize the connection until you told me how you got those two bullet holes. You know my past, you know I was involved in a drug cartel. It's the same drug cartel your father works for."

"What? No. Does that mean…?"

"Yes, the same drug cartel you are now working for by helping me."

"So this drug cartel killed my mom? Why? Because of my father?"

"They did it to punish your father. He made a mistake and that was their sick twisted way of reprimanding him. This all happened right after I had joined the cartel. I only met your dad a handful of times, but I really liked him. He was one of the good guys, Steely. He talked about you and your mom fondly."

"My dad talked about me to you? This is so fucked up. Do you know who in the organization killed my mom, Alex? I want a name!" Steely yelled out.

"Yes, but before I tell you… you have to promise me that you won't do anything. You need to let me handle it, okay? I have a plan to take these fuckers down once and for all, but I can't have you flying off the handle and trying to take care of things yourself. Okay?"

"Yeah, fine, I promise. How would I be able to do anything in here anyway? Unless… unless it's someone in here. Is it, Alex? Is it someone that's locked up in here with me?"

"Not exactly locked up but, yes, here."

It took a second or two for that to register in her head, but then she knew. "That motherfucker! I'm going to kill him," she said as she grabbed a huge pair of shears and headed towards the door. Towards Aydin.

* * *

A/N – Thanks for reading, and I hope to update again later this week. I'm not sure how many of you will get the reference to Alex's full name, but I was trying to think what would Diane Vause—a chick who loved hard rock and probably everything else about the 80s—want to name her child. So I went with an 80s icon. - J


	28. Chapter 28 Piper's Mix for Alex

Chapter 28  
Piper's Mix for Alex

"Steely, no!" Alex yelled as she rushed after her. "You can't do this… think about it? You'll spend the rest of your life in prison if you kill him," she said as she placed her body between Steely and the door. "Listen to me, I have better plan. One that doesn't include either of us spending any more time in prison than we have to. Please."

Steely was red faced and angry as hell, "I don't care if I spend the rest of my life in prison, as long as that fucker doesn't take another breath. Get out of my way, Alex!"

"Steely, wait… no. I can't let you do this. If you kill Aydin, then they win. Don't let them win, Steely. I'm begging you. Just hear me out, okay? Think about your mom. Your mom would not want this for you."

She lowered the shears and looked at Alex, "Fuck! What's your plan?"

"Okay, good," Alex said as she took the shears from Steely and moved them back into the far corner. "You're not going to be thrilled about this, but it's the only way I can think of to do this." Alex paused and took a breath. "I need you to meet with your father, and then I need you to get him to meet with me."

"God! My father, Alex… no. There's got to be some other way. He's the whole reason my mom is dead in the first place. How is he going to be able to help?"

"Trust me, Steely. He knows a lot about the cartel. He's been helping the head of the cartel, Kubra Balik, clear US Customs for years. I just need to convince him to work with me so that we can provide evidence against them. I have a feeling that he's been tampering with evidence for Kubra too and that's why he got off with a mistrial when I testified against him the first time. I think if he knows that Kubra was the one behind your mom's murder, then he'll agree to testify against them. That coupled with the fact that you're also involved now."

"Don't you think he already knows that they're behind my mom's murder? What makes you think he's going to do something about it now? He's been cowering to them my whole life… I'm not so sure he'll be willing to do this, Alex."

"He may have known they were behind your mom's murder, but I'm sure he knew there was no way to prove it. But... now there is."

"You have some sort of proof? Some evidence?"

Alex inhaled sharply and exhaled, "I have the murder weapon. Or at least, I _had_ the murder weapon. They confiscated it when I was arrested for violating my parole. It's locked up in police evidence somewhere, and I'm willing to bet your dad can figure out a way to get his hands on it."

Steely was shocked, "You had the murder weapon? Why?"

"It's a long story, but it was all part of Kubra's sick twisted plan. He gave it to me years ago. I had it in a safe deposit box until I got released from prison and thought Kubra was after me."

"But, you've had the gun all these years, and I'm sure they wiped their fingerprints from it and now your fingerprints are all over it. Sure the ballistics will prove the bullets were fired from that gun, but how are we going to prove the cartel was behind it?"

"If your dad can get the gun, we're going to need to plant the gun on Aydin somehow."

"Holy shit, Alex! Have you really thought this through? _If_ my dad can get the gun, how are we supposed to get it in here? And if we do manage to pull that off without landing ourselves down the hill, how the fuck are we going to plant it on Aydin? It's not like we can just walk up to him and stick it in his pants."

"I know it's going to be risky, but we have to do this. We'll take this one step at a time, and the first step is you meeting with your dad and getting him to meet with me. Will you do that?"

Steely took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "As much as I hate this, yes. I'll call him and set it up. But if at any time I think this is not going to work, I'm calling it. Then that fucker is mine. He's going to pay one way or another. I promise you."

Alex felt a wave of relief when Steely agreed. Finally it seemed that there was a way out of this. "He will pay. They all will. It's time for me to take _my_ life back. They've taken enough from me."

"Alex…?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for telling me this. I'm sure you had reservations about telling me, but I'm glad you did. And even though things didn't work out the way I wanted them between us, I hope that you'll still consider me a friend."

Alex smiled very sweetly. "Of course I do. I couldn't have gotten through these last few months without you. Our paths crossed for a reason, Steely. It may not have been for romance, but there was a reason."

* * *

Later that day after Alex had finished delivering the precious poison that her customers were craving, she ran into Nicky. She was mopping the corridors, and had her back to Alex.

Alex snuck up behind her and put her hands over her eyes and very playfully said, "Guess who?"

Nicky turned around quickly, "Vause! Jesus! What the fuck happened to your neck?"

Alex smirked, "Piper."

Nicky smirked back, "Ah, I knew it. Somehow I knew the two of you were down there love-fucking your brains out. Good thing I sent you a toothbrush, huh?"

"Yeah, thanks for that. So what's been going on out here? How are things with you?"

"I'm good, as always. Lorna and I have been talking a bit more. She's still pretty bummed about what's his name, but I think she'll come around soon."

"Oh yeah? So just talking, huh?"

"Um yeah, unlike you, What are you guys like, twelve? I haven't seen a hickey necklace like that since grade school," Nicky smiled and did this thing with her tongue that she always does when she's being mischievous.

Alex tugged at her shirt collar to try to hide Piper's love marks. "What can I say? She just couldn't control herself."

"Well, I'm glad to see you two managed to work things out. I mean, you did right? Or was this just a goodbye fuck?"

"No, it was more than that. We talked a lot, apologized a lot, cried a lot…"

"Fucked a lot," Nicky inserted.

Alex smiled, "I love her, Nicky. I really and truly _love_ her, and I think I've loved her all along. I never stopped. I don't know what the future holds for us, but right now I'm just going to enjoy the time we still have together in here."

"Right, Piper's only got a few more months right? And what do you have left?"

Alex scoffed, "A shit ton. After violating my parole, I got another two years added to my already existing six years."

"Jesus, eight more years? Well, no more SHU for you. You need to work on getting early release. You need to be on your best behavior. Stick to reading your books and being all Zen, Vause. Stop punching guards. And Piper needs to stop punching her ex-mistress or she's going to be spending a little more time with you than expected. But maybe that's what you guys want."

"No. I don't want Piper spending a minute more in here than she has to. I feel guilty enough that she's spent this long in here. When Piper gets out of the SHU, I have to make sure she stays out of trouble."

"Well, she's not going to like this. Someone's trying to steal her panty business."

"You know about that?"

"I've heard some rumors. A few of the girls that were working for Piper are now really chummy with the Bieber clone."

"Stella?"

"Yep. She might be out for revenge, Vause. Watch your back."

"Okay, thanks. I'll keep my eye on that fucker," Alex scowled.

"Oh, and speaking of rumors… you know how we all thought that one girl who says she's El Chapo's cousin was the one selling drugs?"

"You mean Pablo Escobar?"

Nicky rolled her eyes, "Whatever… one of those guys. Well, I don't think it's her anymore."

Alex fidgeted and shifted on her feet a bit, "Really? Why?"

"Because for the past few days, I've been noticing girls around here were fiending like crazy. The rumor was their dealer wasn't available. Which made me think… why the fuck not? El Chapo's, err… Escobar's cousin is still here. But you know who wasn't here? You. The former drug dealer. The one who has weird secretive meetings with Steely, and I've even seen you with some of those drug fiending girls."

Alex didn't know what to say. "Look, Nicky, it's not…"

"Don't lie to me, Vause. Come on, I've been in here long enough to know how this works. I know it's you. But what I don't know is why the _fuck_ are you doing this?"

Alex looked up and down the corridor to make sure no one was coming. "You're right, Nicky. It's me. But I'm not doing this by choice."

"What's going on, Vause? Is it your old drug boss? Is he forcing you to do this?"

"Yes. If I don't do what he says he'll kill me… and Piper."

"Fuck! What are you going to do, Vause? You can't let them get away with this. You have to tell Caputo."

"I can't. Kubra will find out, he'll have us killed before Caputo can do anything about it. He's got a man on the inside here. A guard."

"The creepy toothpick guard that you punched?"

"Yes. His name is Aydin, we used to work together. He's here to make my life a living hell."

"Does Piper know?" Nicky asked.

"She does now. We actually came up with a plan, and if it works then I may finally be free of them forever. It's just risky as hell."

"Well, I'm in. I want to help. Tell me what I can do."

Alex was thankful for her curly haired friend. "For now, nothing. Just keep me updated on Stella. If she's the one fucking Piper over with the panty business, she's going to have me to deal with."

* * *

Piper sat on the bunk all alone. She wondered what Alex was doing and if she was making any progress on their plan. She couldn't wait to get out of here. Being in here alone was the ultimate torture. She had too much time to think in here and she started to get paranoid. She was afraid Alex was going to get hurt or even killed and she would never see her again. She started to cry, and then she started to pace. She needed to get her mind on something else.

She had some crayons and a legal pad so she decided to make something for Alex. She loved the mixed playlist that Alex had written for her. It was so sweet to see all of the songs that Alex listed. It was honestly the best birthday present she had ever been given. She decided to make a playlist for Alex. Songs that always made Piper think of her. She thought about each one carefully, and remembered each special line of lyrics that captured her feelings so perfectly.

1\. _Into the Mystic_ – Van Morrison  
How could she ever forget this song with its soothing melody and gentle guitar? It was the song playing during their first kiss. This song meant so much to her, not just the lyrics, but just the way it made her feel whenever she heard it. It wasn't something she could really put into words, but whenever she heard this song she felt like everything was going to be okay. It will forever and always remind her of Alex.

 _I don't have to fear it and I want to rock your gypsy soul  
Just like way back in the days of old,  
And magnificently we will flow into the mystic_

2\. _All I Want Is You_ – U2  
When they first got together, the only DVD Piper owned was _Reality Bites_. She loved that movie and made Alex watch it over and over with her. She had a thing for Winona Ryder, and she loved the ending when they played this song. She thought the lyrics were very romantic, and she would sing it all the time when she was drunk.

 _You say you'll give me  
Eyes in a moon of blindness  
A river in a time of dryness  
A harbor in the tempest_

 _But all the promises we make  
From the cradle to the grave  
When all I want is you_

3\. _Ray of Light_ – Madonna  
She added this one to make Alex laugh. There was nothing particular in the lyrics that she liked. It was just the song itself… and the story of their first rave together. It was a small underground club in Thailand. They had gone there with Fahri and some other acquaintances. They had been smoking pot and taking ecstasy. They kept playing _Ray of Light_ over and over. It was a wild night for sure. Back at their rental later that night, they ended up doing some pretty erotic things to each other. It was wild, everyone was watching them, and neither was sober enough to care. On a dare from Fahri, Alex ended up getting a naked lap dance from a hooker. The hooker was so drunk that she accidentally stepped on and broke three of Alex's toes with her fake Louboutin's. She also was to blame for Alex briefly having Chlamydia. Thank God for antibiotics.

4\. _In the Sun_ – Joseph Arthur  
She heard this song shortly after their breakup in Paris. Whenever she would listen to the lyrics, she would start to cry. The lyrics reminded her so much of Alex. She often wondered about Alex after their breakup. She wondered how Alex got through it, and she wondered if she had found someone new. The song made her sad, but she always wanted to remember Alex in the sun.

 _I picture you in the sun wondering what went wrong  
And falling down on your knees asking for sympathy  
And being caught in between all you wish for and all you seen  
And trying to find anything you can feel that you can believe in_

5\. _Feelin' Love_ – Paula Cole  
The song itself is hot sex personified. How could it not remind her of her greatest lover?

6\. _Colorblind_ – Counting Crows  
This was one of Alex's favorite songs. When they first got together, she made her listen to it over and over. The lyrics are very simple, but Alex had once told her to really listen to the lyrics and try to see the deeper meaning. Alex had told her that she thought the song was about being born colorblind. You only see things as black or white, but as you grow and as you start to really experience life you become more aware and everything is not just black or white. Piper had always thought of things as black or white until she met Alex. Alex brought out the best in her.

 _I am covered in skin  
No one gets to come in  
Pull me out from inside  
I am folded, and unfolded, and unfolding  
I am colorblind_

7\. _The Promise_ – When In Rome  
They were both children of the 80's and even though they cringed over most 80's songs, there were still a few that they both liked. This was one of them. They laughed about this song when they first met, because amazingly enough, they both knew that this was the song playing at the end of _Napoleon Dynamite_.

 _I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say  
I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be  
But if you wait around a while, I'll make you fall for me  
I promise, I promise you I will_

8\. _Solsbury Hill_ – Peter Gabriel  
Piper had always liked this song, but Alex had told her something very interesting about it and since then it had become one of Piper's favorites. Anytime she heard it around someone new, she would dish out the little trivia that Alex had taught her. The song was written in 7/4 rhythm and with each verse, a new instrument is added.

9\. _Love in an Elevator_ – Aerosmith  
Obvious reasons to love this song, but the fact that they had 'conquered' several elevators together was enough to add it to the list.

10\. _Charley's Girl_ – Lou Reed  
She had to laugh at this addition. She knew Alex would get it. They could at least laugh about it now.

There were many more songs she could have added, but she thought this was a good start. It was getting late now, and she knew the quicker she got to sleep the closer she'd be to getting out of here. She couldn't wait to see Alex again. Her body and soul ached for her.

* * *

A/N – I hope you enjoyed. They say to write drunk, edit sober. I'm just writing drunk. So, please forgive any typos. It's late (or early), and I just want to get this posted. I would have loved to have seen all of the songs Alex listed for Piper. Btw, _Into the Mystic_ is one of my most favorite songs ever. It honestly just makes me feel better whenever I hear it. Anyway, please review if you have some free time to spare. - J


	29. Chapter 29 Let's Get Out of Here

Chapter 29  
Let's Get Out of Here

Alex paced nervously in her in her cube. She knew that Steely was meeting with her dad today, and she was worried about how that meeting would go. She hoped that Steely could keep her cool, and convince her dad to meet with her. Her whole life depended on this. Today was also the day that Piper should be released from the SHU. She couldn't wait to see her again. Sure, it had only been a few days, but she was used to seeing Piper everyday—even if some of those days were spent apart from each other. She was missing her something fierce.

"Hey, Vause, you're going to wear a hole in that concrete if you don't stop," Nicky said, removing her earbuds as she sat up on her bunk. "What the heck is going on?"

Alex stopped pacing and leaned against the wall. "I just have a lot on my mind today."

Nicky looked around, and then whispered, "Is it about your… umm, little problem?"

"Yeah, but I don't know if I would considerate it 'little'. Some of it is just out of my hands, and that's hard for me. When I don't have total control over something, it makes me a little crazy."

"Okay, so here I was thinking Piper might be the dom in the relationship, but clearly it's you," Nicky smirked.

Leave it to Nicky to always have her mind in the gutter. That was something Alex adored about her though, "Yeah, well not always."

"You know, you should really talk to Red," Nicky suggested. "She was in the Russian mafia for Christ's sake. She may have some advice for you. Look, I know you don't want everyone to know your business, and I'm glad you trusted me enough to tell me the truth. Finally. But, you can trust Red. I trust Red with my life… literally. She saved me, and she's been a better mom to me than my own mom could ever be. Just think about it, Vause. That's all I'm asking."

"Okay, I will. I'm pretty sure she wouldn't rat me out, but she may feel differently when Piper has to cut off her commissary money from the panty business."

"Nah, I think she'll understand about Piper too. She acts tough with Piper, but deep down I think she really likes Piper."

"We'll find out soon enough. Piper should be getting out of the SHU today," Alex said. This thought automatically made her smile.

Nicky was quick to notice that smile, "Okay, wow, somebody's getting laid tonight. Is she going to give you a new hickey necklace? Your current one is starting to fade."

"Ha, ha," Alex said as she shot a random elastic hair band at Nicky.

They kept up their friendly banter for a while until Alex saw Steely come into the dorms. Alex tried to read from her expression how things went, but she couldn't be sure. She watched as she went into her cube, and then Alex headed that way.

Steely sat on her bunk staring at the opposite wall. Her green eyes were red from crying. Alex sat down beside her. She wanted to know how things went, but she didn't want to seem inconsiderate. So she just sat there quietly with Steely until she was ready to talk.

"I may have spent half my life hating a man that I had no reason to hate," Steely began.

Alex turned slightly to face Steely.

"He told me he had always suspected that he was the reason my mom had been killed, but he had no way to prove it. He told me that when my mom finally left him and we moved to Connecticut, it nearly killed him. He said he never wanted to lose us. He tried to leave the cartel after it happened, but he knew they would never let him leave alive. So, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He was going to deliberately let Kubra Balik get caught passing through Customs, but at the last moment he couldn't go through with it. He was too scared. He thought Kubra might come after us if he went through with it. He said he hates himself for not having the courage to go through with it. Ultimately, he blames himself for mom's death."

Alex nodded, and kept listening. She was anxious about the rest of their meeting, but she didn't press.

"You should have seen the look on his face when I told him I was now involved with Kubra's drug cartel. He looked so defeated and heartbroken."

Steely finally broke her staring-at-the-wall trance, and looked at Alex. Alex noticed a hint of a smile, then Steely said, "You _really_ should have seen his face when I told him the reason I was working for Kubra was because of this tall, hot, gorgeous woman with dark hair, tattoos, and sexy glasses."

Alex felt a little embarrassed, "Jesus, Steely."

Steely smiled a little more, "Yeah, he guessed it was you right away. I guess he thought you were pretty memorable too."

Now Alex really was embarrassed.

"Did you mention anything about our plan?" Alex asked. She couldn't wait any longer. The suspense was killing her.

"Yeah, I told him your brilliant plan, and he agreed to meet with you. So, I guess that means he's in. He has some concerns, but he thinks your plan could work."

Finally Alex could relax a little. With Louie on board, she knew she was that much closer to getting her life back.

"This is great, Steely. Thank you so much for talking to him. I know it's been a rough few days for you, but I'm glad you and your dad talked."

"Yeah, me too. I feel like I'm finally meeting the real Louie De Luca for the first time. He was trapped, Alex. Just like we're trapped now. He did what he thought was best for our family. How can I hate him for that?"

Alex saw Steely look up and she noticed her facial expression change. Alex turned around to see what Steely was looking at and standing in the threshold of the cubicle was a tall, hot, gorgeous blond.

Alex was speechless. She didn't expect to see Piper until much later. It was like Christmas came early. She just smiled. The blond had a very serious, but ever so sexy look on her face. She came right over and grabbed Alex by the hand and pulled her up.

Sure, Steely was sitting right there, but she didn't care. She barely noticed her at all. All she cared about right now was having Alex all to herself. "Let's get out of here," Piper said while pulling Alex behind her.

* * *

For Piper, being locked up in solitary confinement always brought out primal urges. She knew this right away after her very first stay in the SHU. When, even though she had sworn to herself that she would be good and stay away from Alex, all she could think about when she had gotten out was getting utterly lost in Alex. Now, as they stood in the chapel—their chapel—she still felt that way, and she still went at Alex like she was devouring her. No talking. Just heavy breathing, hands everywhere, passionate kisses, and clothes piling up on the floor.

Alex loved it when Piper was like this, and she gave it back just as good. Piper was truly the best lover she had ever had. They never had any problems when it came to intimacy. They knew each other's needs and wants so well. Every time they were together was like the first time, it was always intense and exciting. Alex knew she could never tire of being like this with Piper.

She pulled Piper down behind the pulpit and covered her body with her own. Even though she knew they needed to hurry because anyone could walk in on them, she slowed things down. She looked down at Piper and brushed her hair back from her face. Piper's gorgeous blue eyes stared back at her. "Hi," Alex said simply.

Piper smiled, "Hi."

"I've missed you," Alex said as she gently kissed Piper's forehead. She continued by lightly kissing her eyelids, then her cheeks.

"Mmm, I've missed you more," Piper whispered.

Alex just stared at the beautiful girl beneath her. She couldn't image that there was anything in this universe that was more alluring. Her heart was saturated with nothing but love for her. Using Piper's own words, she asked, "Why do you always feel so inevitable to me, Piper?"

"Because I'm yours, Alex, and I'm absolutely and undeniably in love with you."

Alex had never heard sweeter words. It was one thing to be in love with someone, but it was something truly remarkable when that person was just as in love with you. Alex spent the next half hour proving just how much she loved Piper.

Afterwards, they got dressed and sat under the pulpit. Piper laid her head in Alex's lap, while Alex stroked her hair. Just a few months ago they were sitting in this same spot, only reversed. It was almost inconceivable everything that they had been through since then. They had loved each other, lost each other, and now they had found each other again. This seemed to define their whole relationship—an incessant cycle of love and heartache. Loving and leaving. Now, they hoped those days of leaving were behind them.

They sat together talking for a while. Piper wanted to know what was going on with their plan and what had happened when she told Steely the truth. Alex caught her up and told her that she would be meeting with Louie in a few days.

"Have you thought about how you're going to get the gun in here if he can get it?" Piper asked.

"I have a few ideas of how to get it in here, but I may need to involve someone else. I haven't quite figured out if that's a good idea or not yet."

"Why don't you talk to Red? I mean, she is the queen of Litchfield smuggling after all."

"Mind reader? That's who I was thinking of asking, and you're the second person today to tell me to talk to Red," Alex said.

"Who was the first person to suggest it?" Piper asked, clearly confused.

"Nicky."

"What?! You told Nicky?"

"I had to tell her. She figured out it wasn't El Chapo's cousin because while I was in the SHU a lot of the girls were apparently having withdrawals."

"You mean Pablo Escobar's cousin?"

Alex laughed, "Yeah, I just wanted to see if you would correct me. Nicky's a smart girl, she put two and two together. She figured out that Steely and I were working together."

"Oh yeah, I noticed you were sitting on her bunk when I found you," Piper said with a slight tone of discontent.

Alex smirked at slightly-jealous Piper, "Yeah, and then some hot little trouble maker fresh out of the SHU came and dragged me away."

"Well, I'm sure she'll be fine. She's going to have to…"

Alex kissed Piper to shut her up. They were so immersed in each other that they never noticed the person who had slipped in a few moments earlier and overheard their entire conversation.


	30. Chapter 30 One Big Happy Dysfunctional F

Chapter 30  
One Big Happy Dysfunctional Family

Alex and Steely sat together at the cafeteria for an early breakfast. They had carefully coordinated Alex's meeting with Louie so that it was on a day that Aydin was not scheduled to be at the prison. The last thing they needed was Aydin catching them together. The meeting was set for later in the day, and Alex was going over all of the details they needed to discuss in their brief allotted time.

"So, Chapman seemed like she was in an extremely good mood last night when she finally made it in right before last count," Steely said. "Not even King's snarky attitude about her being back seemed to bother her. You two must have had quite the time yesterday after she dragged you out."

"You really want to talk about this?" Alex asked. She couldn't tell if Steely was jealous or genuinely interested.

"Yeah, look I'm cool with it. Honestly. I've kind of got my sights set on someone else anyway," she said with a cute little smirk.

"Ah, I see. Anyone I know?" Alex asked while raising her brow.

Steely shrugged.

"Keeping it on the down low, huh?"

"Yeah, until I'm ready to make my move."

They laughed, and then noticed Nicky in the line.

"Hey, before Nicky comes over… did you get a chance to make that special request to Aydin yesterday?" Steely asked.

"Yeah. The dumb fuck had no clue," Alex said smirking.

"Good. So, next step is to talk to Nicky, right?"

"Yeah, but let's wait until after I meet with your dad."

"You're afraid he's not going to go through with it?" Steely asked.

Alex shrugged, "I hope he does, for all of our sakes."

"Good morning, sunshines!" Nicky said as she sat down at the table.

"You're in a good mood, Nichols," Steely said.

"Indeed I am," Nicky said while taking a sip of her orange juice.

"It wouldn't have anything to do with Morello's annulment getting finalized, would it?" Alex asked.

"I'm fucking elated," she began, "but I have to keep it under wraps around Lorna. She's still pretty bummed about how everything went down."

"Ah, 'went down'… I see what you did there, Nichols," Steely observed.

"Yeah, so what's up with you two? Where's your other half, Vause? Or is that topic off limits because Steely's here? I get so confused with all this high school stuff going on."

"Oh, Chapman's still sleeping it off this morning. It seems someone really wore her out yesterday," Steely said winking at Nicky.

"She's sleeping in because she doesn't have her new job assignment yet," Alex explained while peeling her orange.

"So, did you tell her about Jack?" Nicky asked.

Alex was confused, "Who the fuck's Jack?"

"You know, the aussie chick that looks like Jack from _Titanic_?" Nicky elaborated.

"Oh, yeah, you're right… never thought about it like that," Alex said with a laugh. "Yeah, I told her you were suspicious about her, but she doesn't think it's her. She said her panty girls have been dropping like flies since before she got back here."

"Wait, you mean that Stella girl?" Steely asked. "You thought she's been stealing Piper's panty girls?"

"Yeah, someone's been stealing business from Piper. We're trying to figure out who it could be. Nicky thought maybe it was Stella... you know, because Piper got her sent down to Max."

"No, I didn't know any of this. I wondered why Piper attacked her." Steely seemed surprised. "But Piper said it's been going on for a while? Since before Stella came back up here? So it couldn't be her, right?"

"Right, I guess." Alex wondered why Steely was so interested. "She still could be up to something. I don't trust that fucker at all."

"She's been up King's ass since she got here," Nicky said. "Another one of her groupies, I suppose."

"King is her boss in the kitchen," Steely pointed out. "I can't believe this. She seemed really decent and chill. I mean, she's a Buddhist. You know… karma and all that."

"Uh oh, Vause, it looks like another one of your girls may be venturing out on a walkabout with Litchfield's very own 1990s Leonardo DiCaprio," Nicky said with a cocky little smile.

"Oh, fuck you, Nichols," Steely said as she got up to leave.

"What the fuck was that about?" Nicky asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe she likes her. I hope not… for her sake," Alex said.

"Looky, looky, Vause," Nicky said excitedly as she slightly pointed at the cafeteria line.

Alex turned to see Piper and Lorna in the line. They were chatting casually while waiting.

"Our cute little prison wives," Nicky said.

Alex smiled and threw her orange peel at Nicky.

Piper and Lorna soon made their way over to the table. "So what's going on here? You two look like you're up to something," Lorna said.

"Never," said Nicky. "We were just admiring the view." Then Nicky and Lorna got lost in their own little world.

"Hey, sleepy head," Alex said as she nudged Piper's foot with her own.

Piper smiled shyly at Alex. It felt so good to be sitting here again—with Alex and their friends. It had been so long since she had sat with Alex in the cafeteria. It was the little things like this that she had missed so much. "I slept amazingly well last night. I can't imagine why," she said, her eyes on Alex's.

"You're welcome for that," Alex said with a smirk. Then she noticed Piper had only toast and coffee on her tray.

"Why are you not eating? I thought you'd be starving after getting out of the SHU."

"I am, but I'm scared to eat. Who knows what Stella or King would try to put in my food? You know, I think someone peed on my pillow while I was in the SHU."

"What?!" Alex asked trying to hold back a laugh. "What is it with you and girls peeing? Are you into golden showers now too?"

"Oh, I'm glad you think this is funny. I had to sleep all night on a pillow that smells bad… and it was a little damp too. I switched it with King's after I woke up this morning. She's probably the one that did it anyway, that bitch. Or maybe it was your ex."

"Hmm, I don't think so. She's totally fine with us. She's already moving on. You know what? I think she may have a thing for _your_ ex."

"No! Shut up! You should warn her not to trust her," Piper said.

"Okay, I'll just show her your arm," Alex laughed. "She's a grown up, she can make her own decisions. But, Nicky and I did fill her in on what went down between you two."

"Okay, good. At least she's informed. Do you have everything set to meet with her dad today?"

"Yes, Aydin's not here, and I will be meeting with him this afternoon after work."

"Are you nervous?"

"A little. I mean, from what I remember he's a nice enough guy. I just hope he'll work with me and can do everything that I'm hoping he can do."

Piper put her hand on Alex's, and rubbed it softly with her thumb.

"Hey, no touching," Nicky joked.

"It's so good to see you two back together… again," Lorna said.

"Yeah, Chapman, I really missed your ass. Even though you _were_ being a dick," Nicky said.

"Sorry about that. I just… I guess I just lost my way."

"Look at us. We're like one big happy dysfunctional family again," Nicky said and they all laughed.

* * *

Alex made her way to the visitation room. Lolly walked with her. Alex was kind of interested to see what type of visitor Lolly had. She'd never really seen her meet with anyone, and she never mentioned family or friends. She was an odd one, but Alex had grown to like her. She was smarter than people gave her credit for, and Alex wondered sometimes if her peculiarity was just an act.

When they arrived to the visitation room, her heart was racing, as she scanned the room for Louie. She noticed a man stand up. His hair was grayer than she remembered, but he still looked the same. His eyes were warm and welcoming as he took Alex's hand in both of his.

"Alex, it's been a long time. It's good to see you again. I just wish it were under different circumstances, of course," he said.

"Me too, but maybe together we can change that. I want to thank you for meeting with me today, Louie. I know what Steely told you must have been difficult to hear, and believe me, if I had known she was your daughter, I would have never gotten her involved in this."

"I know, but how could you have known? It's unfortunate, but I want to do whatever possible to get her out of this mess. I'm done with Kubra, and I want to put his ass away for the rest of his miserable fucking life. Tell me how I can help. Let me make amends for not following through with this so many years ago."

"When I was arrested for violating my parole, they confiscated a gun from me. I assume Steely told you about that gun?"

Louie nodded yes.

"I'm guessing it's still locked up in evidence somewhere, maybe in Queens. Do you think you can find out where it is and remove it from evidence?"

Louie thought about it for a few seconds, "I can track it down. Getting to it might be a little trickier, but I have some ideas. What's your plan for it if I can get it? You want to plant it on Aydin somehow?"

"We need to get his prints on it. Then we can plant it in his locker or something. Then once it's planted someone on the outside has to make an anonymous call to the cops."

"Okay, and if that works, that takes care of Aydin, but what about Kubra? Even if Aydin is arrested, he'll never tell them anything about Kubra. He's too loyal."

"He might if he knows that Kubra wants to kill him," Alex said.

"You think Kubra will kill him if he's arrested?" Louie asked.

"Maybe. But I know for a fact that if Kubra knew Aydin was _stealing_ from him, then he would definitely want to take him out. He hates a thief. That's something he's never tolerated."

"Right, but how would you pull that off?"

"Your genius hacker daughter and I have a plan. All the money we've been making selling in here has been going into a certain bank account. I have the account number, so all Steely has to do is hack in and transfer all that money into an account under Aydin's name. Then we send that proof to Kubra."

"She can do that from in here?" Louie asked.

"We can get her to a computer. We have a plan, and friends—family—that can help."

Louie rubbed the scruff on his chin with his thick hand, "And you and I would also have to testify against Kubra?"

"I really don't see any other way around it. If Aydin talks and we testify, I think that would be enough to put him away for good…" Alex hesitated. "But, I thought that before, and there was a mistrial, and now I'm in this mess because of it. Things could go wrong again, but I have nothing else to lose. If I don't do this, I'm fucked anyway. I'll live out the rest of my days under Kubra's control."

"Alex, there's something I need to tell you about the mistrial," Louie began. "I was responsible for it. I was the one that tampered with the evidence that caused the mistrial. I'm so sorry."

Alex had suspected this. "It's okay. You were just doing what you had to do. Believe me, I understand."

"We're going to get him this time, Alex. I'll do anything and everything I can to make that happen. I owe it to Steely and to her mom, God rest her soul."

"Okay, so if and when you get the gun, you have to meet with Steely to let her know. Then we can figure out how to get it in here. You and I don't need to meet anymore. It's just too risky with Aydin lurking around," Alex explained.

"He's a despicable fucker," Louie began. "You know he's the reason you're in here, right?"

Alex wasn't sure what he meant. "What?"

"He's the reason you were caught and arrested in the first place. He set you up."

* * *

Somewhere a cell phone was flipped open and a number was dialed. The person on one end of the line was the same person that had overhead Alex and Piper talking in the chapel. This person spoke quickly and matter-of-factly into the cell phone.

"Yeah, something's going down soon. Not sure what. Still trying to piece it together. Today there was a meeting with Louie De Luca. I'll let you know more when I know."

* * *

A/N – I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll try to write the next chapter as quickly as possible. Please review, I love hearing your thoughts. Happy Halloween! -J


	31. Chapter 31 Kleather and Lace

Chapter 31  
Kleather and Lace

Alex walked back to her bunk in a daze. She was desperately trying to process what Louie just told her about Aydin setting her up. She knew Aydin was always ambitious, but she never would have thought that he would intentionally set up another member of their cartel. It was a risky move and it could have easily backfired on him, but he was arrogant enough to take that chance. Apparently, the reward outweighed the risk and he pulled it off successfully.

Piper saw her as she came back into the dorms. She was anxious to find out what happened with Louie. Alex came straight for her and sat on the bunk with her. She knew that look on Alex's face, and she was worried things didn't go well.

"Hey, what happened?" Piper asked as her eyes searched Alex's face.

Alex sighed and leaned back against the wall. She turned her head slightly so that she could look into Piper's crystal blue eyes. Those eyes always made her feel at ease. "Well, the good news is that Louie's on board to help us. He's going to try to locate the gun and get it out of evidence. He's also willing to testify against Kubra."

"Oh, Alex, that's wonderful," Piper said, and then quickly realized there was more. "What's the bad news?"

"You're not going to believe this, Piper. Fuck, I almost didn't believe it… but now that I've had time to think about it a little, it makes perfect sense," Alex said.

Piper furrowed her brow, "What, Al? What's wrong?"

"Louie told me that Aydin's the reason I got caught and arrested. He set me up."

"Motherfucker!" Piper exclaimed as she turned and leaned back against the wall too. "But why? Why would he take that risk? He had to know if you or anyone in the ring got caught there would always be that chance that someone would talk."

"I guess getting me out of the way was worth the risk. He was always so jealous of my success. After he killed Fahri, he just figured I would choke under the pressure. It was always like we were in competition to be Kubra's second."

"I thought you said Aydin was Kubra's second," Piper said.

"Yeah, I always thought so too, but Louie said that Kubra was getting ready to promote me to second in command because I had moved a shit ton of heroin and made him millions. Aydin didn't really make Kubra money, he was just the muscle. Aydin must have suspected that Kubra was going to promote me instead of him, and then he decided to get rid of me. I guess killing me would have been too suspicious, so he did the next best thing and got me sent to prison. I think he knew I wouldn't name Kubra because I would be too afraid of the consequences. And even if I did talk, he knew that he and Kubra would walk no matter what because he had Louie and who knows else on the inside hiding evidence and making witnesses disappear."

"So what did he do? How did he do it?" Piper asked as she took Alex's hand in hers. "You've never told me the story about what happened when you got caught."

Alex turned and looked at her. She smirked, "You've never asked."

"That was the old Piper… the self-absorbed one that thought the world revolved around her. This is the new Piper. The one that cares about you more than anything, and the one that wants to know everything that's happened in your life since we've been apart," Piper said.

Alex smiled at her cute little girlfriend. She was surprised by her words. "God, I love you, and _I_ think the world revolves around you."

Piper took Alex's face in her hands and pulled her in for a quick, soft kiss. "Mmm, I love you too. Now tell me the story."

 _Two years ago Alex had been on Chilean flight bound for Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. She and her crew had spent two months in Santiago making deals, organizing shipments of heroin, and recruiting mules. They were to bring back 100 kilos—worth over $50 million. It was by far the most lucrative and most risky deal Alex had ever made._

 _While in Santiago, their goal was to recruit 10 mules and each would carry back 10 kilos sewn into jackets, carry-on bags, purses, or anything else with a lining. Alex and her crew never carried unless it was an absolute must. Their job—other than recruiting—was to make sure the mules made it on and off the plane without getting caught. Traveling out of smaller foreign airports was often easier than flying into major US International airports, but it had to be done. International flights into the US must pass through stricter security. That's where money and power came into play._

 _Kubra had several US Customs agents working for him in all of the major US airports. They were compensated very well and once they were under Kubra's control, there was no going back. It was do or die. Their job was to be there at specific times for specific flights and to allow specific people to pass through security undetected. It was a really simplistic system as to how these agents would recognize the mules. Kubra had his very own logo._

 _Aside from being the king of the cartel, Kubra also owned hundreds of legitimate businesses all over the world. Basically these businesses were how he laundered his drug money. One of those businesses was a leather company that made fine leather luggage, wallets, belts, jackets, shoes, boots, even horse saddles. The logo was a simple crown with the letter 'K' below it. The company was called King Leather, but Alex and everyone in her crew just referred to it as Kleather. Kleather was very exclusive in that only Kubra's employees could own the products. It was never sold as retail. This made it much easier to spot in airports—only the drug mules and Kubra's top personnel had these unique products. The Kleather logo would be prominent on whatever apparel the mule was given. The agents were trained to check every pair of shoes, boots, wallet, belt, jacket, etc. for this unique logo._

 _The night before their flight left, they gave each mule their Kleather swag and made sure their drug smuggling vessel was set to go. Alex and her crew all wore the Kleather jackets—different colors and styles, but each with the logo in clear view. Even though they weren't carrying drugs, they wanted agents to give them a free pass through security as well. They gave the mules all last minute instructions about what to expect at each airport and how to spot their agent. The amounts each was carrying were substantially more than normal and Alex was being overly paranoid and double checking everything. She had done this hundreds of times before, but this time was extremely risky. She knew if she pulled this off, Kubra was going to be so impressed. No one in the cartel had ever moved so much at once. Alex was almost intoxicated by the excitement of it._

 _She was quite taken with this one girl they had met about two weeks ago. Her name was Emilia and she was absolutely gorgeous. She had impressed Alex with her intellect and they had bonded over their mutual love of Guy de Maupassant's short story called_ Was It a Dream? _It had been such a long time since she had discussed classic literature with someone on her level. It reminded her of her time with Piper. It had been over seven years since Piper had walked out on her in Paris, but every now and again—more than she cared to admit—something would come along that reminded her of Piper._

 _She often wondered how Piper was doing and how her life was going. She imagined Piper had probably settled down with some random boring guy and they probably had a kid or two. The happy family probably had a couple of dogs too and lived in a duplex in Prospect Park. She probably had a job as a librarian, and she probably wore sexy lacy lingerie underneath her clothing that only her nerdy, unappreciative husband got to see. She never understood why she often thought about Piper. She could almost guarantee that Piper probably never gave her a second thought. But here she was, seven years later and in bed with a beautiful, intelligent Chilean girl and all she could think about was the girl whom she had given her heart to and in turn had it broken into pieces. Like the Maupassant story, Piper had become Alex's ghost. She had once loved her madly and she was still haunted by the everlasting impression that Piper had made upon her soul._

 _The next morning, Alex sat back in her seat on the plane and tried to relax. They had made it through Santiago International Airport with no problems. The mules had done their job well, and now they could all catch their breath during the 14 hour trip to Chicago. Alex had been in touch with Aydin before they departed Chile and he had told her which agents would be working O'Hare when they arrived. Aydin always coordinated the Customs agents, and as much as she disliked him, she had to admit he was good at his job. No one had ever gotten caught coming through US Customs._

 _They had been inflight for hours, and the sun had set hours ago. People were settling in for the night. Alex couldn't sleep and decided to try and pass some time on this long flight by being naughty and adventurous. Her young mule, Emilia, sat near the back of the plane. Alex quickly scribbled something on a scrap of paper, unfastened her seatbelt, and headed towards the restrooms. On the way there, she dropped the note in Emilia's lap. It read:_ Follow me. _Emilia smiled and did as she was told._

 _It was a wild time in that small space for the next ten minutes. Alex had to keep her hand over the girl's mouth to keep her quiet, the faucet kept turning on from the sensor, and the toilet flushed an obscene amount of times. When they were done, they quickly picked up their scattered clothing and got dressed. Emilia handed Alex her jacket and then she exited first. Alex returned to her seat, satisfied and tired. She fell asleep quickly, but not before thinking about her lace-clad librarian in Park Slope. After all these years, she was always the last thing on her mind before falling asleep._

 _She awoke when she felt the sudden jolt from the wheels touching down. She opened the window shade and looked out to see a bright, sunny Chicago morning. She would spend the next two days here getting the mules checked into a hotel and collecting the drugs. From there, another member would transport them to various distributors._

 _Once she was done here, she was going to catch the next flight home to Northampton. She hadn't been home in months and she was looking forward to some time off. She had moved back to Northampton five years prior. She had bought a huge brownstone and was having it remodeled and split up into apartments. It was here in Northampton four years ago that she had seen the girl that had broken her heart. Alex had noticed her in a crowded restaurant. She had to look twice, but it was definitely Piper. She was sitting with a group of boring looking people. She looked amazing, and Alex felt a sudden impulse to go over to her table. She fought the urge. She just couldn't bring herself to go there. She just wanted to run away. Seeing Piper was too painful. Piper was still everything Alex desired. She got up to leave, still watching Piper and then those beautiful blue eyes looked up and caught hers. It was just a quick glimpse, but there was definite eye contact between them. In that split second, it was like time stopped and no one was there but them. But Alex had to look away, and she quickly headed out the door. Once outside she could finally breathe again._

 _Her reverie was interrupted by the pilot announcing that they could now disembark the plane. Alex put on her shades and got ready to exit the airplane. Once inside, Alex and her crew split up. Half of them went through Customs first to wait on the other side for the mules. Alex and some others stayed back and made sure all the mules made it through Customs. Once they were all cleared then they would each go through. Alex was always last._

 _She watched with nervous anticipation as the last mule passed through. It was always such a relief to see that last one go through. She then got in her line, and waited patiently for her turn. When she got up to the Customs agent, she presented her passport and said she had nothing to declare. He studied her for a few moments and then checked his computer. He directed her to go through the x-ray scanner. She thought this was odd, but she knew she didn't have anything to worry about so she walked up and walked through the scanner. She watched the confusion on the agent's face and wondered what was wrong. He looked at her again carefully, and she could see that he now looked panicked._

 _Suddenly an alarm sounded and four or five armed DEA agents swarmed on her. They told her to get down on the ground and put her hands behind her back. She was terrified and did as she was told. They cuffed her quickly and pulled her back up to a standing position. She looked at the Customs agent again and she noticed him discreetly point towards his chest. She looked down at her fancy, exclusive Kleather jacket to see it was missing its ever-important logo. She could barely see some flecks of gold that remained. It seemed to have been washed off somehow._

 _Even if the logo was missing from her jacket, she still couldn't figure out why she was being arrested. They DEA agents were now ushering her into an airport interrogation room. Once inside, they ordered her to remove her jacket and other clothing. She watched in horror as they cut open her jacket and pulled out a package of heroin. They threw it on some scales. It was exactly 1 kilo of heroin. The officers explained to her that she was under arrest for felony possession of a Schedule I controlled substance. A crime that carried a sentence of not less than 10 years and not more than life in federal prison. They read her her Miranda rights and had her transported to an offsite DEA facility._

 _They questioned her for hours—demanding to know where she got the heroin and if she was part of a drug ring. She knew to keep quiet. She just kept asking for her lawyer. They pressured her to name names. They told her they had been working with Interpol for years on this case and she had been spotted on surveillance cameras in airports all around the world. They believed she was working for Kubra Balik and that he was the head of the cartel. They needed her to work with them to get Kubra. They were offering her everything they could—less time, witness protection, waived fines—anything to have her name Kubra. She still kept quiet._

 _They got angrier and angrier as time went by and she wouldn't talk. They told her if she didn't cooperate they were going to throw the book at her and she would spend the rest of her life in prison. They warned her that if Kubra knew she was arrested, he would go after anyone and everyone that she cared about, including her crew. She was starting to get scared. She didn't like the idea of spending life in prison, and she knew they were right about Kubra going after her crew. She decided to give them something, but not Kubra. Kubra would kill her for sure._

 _She maintained that she had never met or even heard of Kubra Balik. She said she had been moving the drugs for an anonymous dealer. He paid her via electronic transfers and she never met him in person. She gave them a few members of her crew. She felt like by naming them, she was also protecting them. She felt awful about it, but she had to do something. She knew her crew would understand, and under the same circumstances, they would have done the same. The more people she named, the more time they were going to knock off her sentence._

 _"Is there anyone else?" one of the agents asked._

 _Alex's thoughts immediately went to Piper. What if Kubra went after Piper to hurt Alex? He knew that Piper was the only person in the world that she still really loved. She became overcome with fear. It seemed so obvious to her that Kubra would definitely go after her sweet little librarian. The one that had a family now. She couldn't let that happen. She had to protect her…_

 _"Piper Chapman. She carried a suitcase full of drug money for me once."_

* * *

A/N – Okay, so I tried to clear up something that I have been questioning since S1. Why did Piper say they had not seen each other in five years and in a later episode Alex says it had been 8 years? So my fictional timeline is kind of like this: Piper carried the suitcase full of money around 2004. They broke up around 2005. In 2008 Alex saw Piper in the crowded restaurant in Northampton. Alex got caught in 2012 and entered prison in 2013 around the same time as Piper. If that's true then it would have been 8 years since they had broken up, and 5 years since they had literally seen each other. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review! Thanks - J


	32. Chapter 32 Taco Night

Chapter 32  
Taco Night

When Alex had finished telling her story she looked at Piper apologetically. She still felt awful about naming Piper, but in that moment she thought it was the best way to protect her. Yes, she was also still angry at Piper for leaving her when her mom died, but that wasn't the only reason she named her. At the time, she felt like Piper—and her imaginary family—could be in serious danger.

Piper's eyes were filled with tears. She sat quietly next to Alex trying to take in everything she had just told her. She knew Alex still felt bad about naming her, but she had already accepted it and forgiven her. Still, she knew Alex would probably regret it for the rest of her life. She decided to try to lighten the mood and said, "You thought I was a sexy librarian?"

Alex smiled, and looked down at her hands shyly.

"It was Emilia wasn't it?" Piper asked. "She put the drugs in your jacket and removed the logo?"

"Yeah. I always wondered why, but she was the only with access to my jacket. After a while, the DEA transferred me to holding facility in New York. I was allowed visitors and guess who the first person to show up was?"

"Aydin?"

Alex nodded. "He tried to convince me that Emilia must have been working for one of Kubra's competitors and she had set me up in order to try to take Kubra out. He told me he would track her down and make her talk. He told me to keep my mouth shut about Kubra and I would be fine. He said I would probably do a couple of years in federal prison and once I was out, I could return to the cartel."

"So, how did Steely's dad know about Aydin setting you up?"

"Louie said after it happened, that Aydin told Kubra that I must have relapsed and decided to steal the kilo and somehow got caught with it. Kubra didn't buy it though, and he asked Louie to find out what happened. Louie tracked down all of the mules on that trip and eventually found Emilia. She told him that she had been paid to set me up and she didn't know who had paid her. He put her in a safe house until he could get her into a meeting with Kubra. But before that happened, someone broke into the safe house and took her. She disappeared. He didn't put all the pieces together and figure out it was Aydin until after he and Steely talked a few days ago."

"God, Alex. We have to make him pay. He's worse than Kubra," Piper said as she sat up.

Alex sat up too and looked at Piper. "I'm so sorry for turning you in, Piper. If I could take back one thing in my life that would be it."

Piper gently stroked Alex's cheek, "You were trying to protect me, Alex. I get that. Honestly, if you hadn't done that, then you and I probably would have never met again. And I'm _so_ thankful that we did meet again."

"So you're not angry with me?" Alex asked.

"Oh, yeah, I'm angry," Piper began, "but not about that."

Alex was confused, "Okay, what are you angry about?"

"You've never taken me in an airplane restroom," Piper said as she traced Alex's bottom lip with her index finger. "I'd like to join the mile high club too."

"Someday," she replied and she kissed her girl thoroughly.

"Chapman," someone said very loudly and interrupted them.

They both were startled and automatically stood up in unison. It was Healy. They always felt like they were in the principal's office when they were standing in front of Healy. They were expecting to get thrown back into the SHU, but for once he didn't seem upset. It was almost like he didn't care.

"Chapman, I have your new work assignment," he said as he handed her a release form.

She looked at the form, then asked "Van duty?"

"You'll start tomorrow. Report to CO Coates in the morning at 07:00," he said and then he walked away somberly.

Alex and Piper both looked at each other.

"I thought Ramos was on van duty," Piper said as she watched Healy disappear from the dorms.

"Maybe something happened while we were in the SHU," Alex suggested. "Well, at least you'll get to get out of here for a while."

"You think we could pull off a 'Ms. Rosa'?" Piper joked.

"As long as we get to take out an Aydin on the way out, I'm game," Alex replied.

"Definitely," Piper said.

They sat back down on Piper's bunk and talked until they noticed it was almost time for dinner.

"Hey, would you like to join me for dinner tonight?" Alex asked "I hear it's Taco night. I'll even get extras so you can eat without worrying about Outback Bieber and Backwoods Betty Crocker poisoning your food."

"Sounds good, I'm starving. Oh, that reminds me. I lost a job because of you," Piper said.

"What?" Alex asked surprised.

"That day we saw each other in that crowded restaurant in Northampton. I was there on a job interview. I saw you and completely lost it. I couldn't even form a sentence after seeing you," Piper said thinking back on that day. "I also ran out and left them with my tab. I went to look for you outside, but I couldn't find you. I thought I had imagined you."

"Sorry," Alex said, "was it a good job?"

"I had applied to be a librarian at Smiths College," Piper said.

"You're fucking kidding me," Alex said laughing.

* * *

Piper endured the death stare from Stella and King as she went through the line. Stella's face was healed and Piper was a bit disappointed that she hadn't done more damage. They sat down at their usual table and were soon joined by Boo and her new girlfriend, Hanna, formerly known as Chicken Tits.

"Holy fuck! I heard you two bitches were back together again," Boo said as she straddled a chair and sat down. Hanna sat next to Alex, across from Boo. "Ladies, this is Hanna. The finest Swedish import in Litchfield."

"You're the one that they tried to get to wear my panties, right?" Piper asked.

"Pardon?" Hanna asked, obviously confused.

"Well, not my panties per se, but the Whispers panties," Piper clarified.

"Oh, yes, those panties. I've tried to point out the girl to Boo, but I cannot seem to find her again. A lot of these girls look very similar," the pale, blond-haired, blue-eyed girl admitted.

"Yeah, boss, have you found out anything else about who could be behind it"? Boo asked.

"Um, no, not really… and unfortunately I'm not going to be your boss anymore," Piper said.

"What? You're giving in to those cunts?" Boo asked.

"Well, I don't really have a choice," Piper began. "I've been reassigned to van duty."

Boo looked surprised, "Van duty?"

"Yeah, I thought Ramos was on van duty?" Piper asked.

"She asked for a transfer," Boo said as she just stared at Piper.

"What?" Piper asked.

"Um, nothing. Sorry, I'm just disappointed that I won't be making any extra dinero or getting free thongs anymore," Boo explained.

"Well, apparently, there's another panty godfather now if you really need the work," Piper mused.

"You know, that's not a bad idea," Alex chimed in. "She might be able to find out who's behind all of this, Pipes."

"But they'll know she worked for me, you think they'll trust her?" Piper asked.

"Come on, it's prison. Loyalties in here come and go," Boo said. "I'm pretty sure I can pull this off. I'm pretty fucking charming, if you haven't noticed."

"You two just need to have a really fucking public 'break up'," Alex said. "That way they'll think Boo is pissed at you and looking for revenge too."

"Okay, why not? It's worth a shot, right?" Piper said and Boo nodded in agreement.

"You should do it here in the cafeteria," Alex said. "There are tons of people in here right now, and word will travel fast. But nothing violent, I don't want Piper getting a shot or anything worse."

"Don't worry, I got this, girls. I spent my teenage years in Community Theater, this will be a piece of cake. You ready, boss?" Boo asked Piper.

Piper looked at Alex for reassurance, "Yep, let's do this."

"Let's go over by the trash bins, that way everyone can see us," Boo suggested.

Alex and Hanna stayed seated at their table, but both turned to watch.

"Hey, Chapman, before we do this… watch out for Officer Coates on van duty. He's kind of a perv," Boo warned and then she quickly knocked Piper's tray from her hands.

Piper was genuinely startled. Half eaten tacos and salsa were splashed all over her and the floor. She felt everyone's eyes on her and Boo.

"I will fucking cut you, bitch! You stay the fuck away from me and Hanna. She will not be a part of some threesome between you and Vause," Boo screamed as she pushed Piper into the wall.

Alex held her head down, embarrassed. Hanna just smiled and winked at her as she got up and pretended to calm Boo down.

Two guards had also come over to diffuse the situation. They ordered Hanna to take Boo out of the cafeteria and told Piper to clean up the mess on the floor. Piper went to grab a mop and noticed that smug-ass Judy King was standing there smirking at her. Piper guessed she was happy to see her covered in slop this time.

Piper finished cleaning up the mess and went and sat back down with Alex. "Ugh, I smell like Taco Bell. Do you think it worked?" Piper asked.

"God, I hope so since we're now apparently interested in a ménage à trois with Chicken Tits. Thank God Nicky wasn't here or she would be giving me shit about it all night."

"What? You wouldn't be interested in a threesome with two tall, blue-eyed, blonds? I thought that was everyone's fantasy?" Piper teased.

"Nope, I can only handle one girl at a time. Plus, I don't like to share," Alex said.

"Well, that's too bad because I was thinking we could _share_ a shower," Piper husked.

* * *

Stella finished sweeping up the kitchen, turned out the lights, and locked up the gate. As she passed by King's office, she called her in.

"So, you know what to do?" King asked.

"Yeah, I understand, but do you really think it's the right time?" Stella asked.

"It's the perfect time, she's lost her most trusted girl now. She's done. We have to act now or we'll miss our chance," King explained.

Stella still seemed unsure, "But I just got back, and I'm not really looking forward to going back. Maybe there's another way?"

"Well fuck a duck! Ever since you got back here you've been talking about how you want to make Chapman pay, and now that everything has fallen into place, you want to back out?"

"I do want to make her pay, but why do I have to take the fall? You're the one that started this whole thing, not me. I mean, why are you after her so bad anyway? What did she do to you?" Stella countered.

"I have my reasons, don't you worry about it," King spat back. "Look, I'll make sure they don't send you back to Max. The most you'll get is probably a short stint in the SHU. You'll have a few days of solitude. You can meditate. Isn't that what you Buddhists do anyway? Think of it as a vacation, and when you get out, Princess Chapman will be sitting in Max for the next several years."

Stella thought for a moment and then said, "Okay, I'll do it, but you better make sure that all I get is a few days in the SHU. If I get sent to Max, I'm ratting you out."

* * *

A/N – I decided to write and post this chapter quickly as a follow up to the last chapter. I probably won't be able to update again until next weekend. Hope you enjoyed, and please review. Have a great week - J


	33. Chapter 33 People-Watching

Chapter 33  
People-Watching

Several days had passed and Alex still had no news from Louie on the gun situation. She tried to focus her attention on various other aspects of the plan. A few weeks ago she had told Aydin that one of the girls had a special request for something out of the ordinary. He never gave it a second thought, and Alex was quite pleased when she saw them come in with the next shipment of drugs. These drugs were going to play an important part of what she hoped would be Aydin's downfall. She had hidden them very carefully, and was waiting for just the right moment to use them.

Alex had noticed Steely and Stella growing closer. She had warned Steely that the girl was trouble, but in the end, she knew Steely was a grown woman and she could make her own mistakes. She was still remaining loyal to her, and that was all that mattered right now. Together they were working out a plan to get use of a computer. Steely needed a way to hack into Kubra's bank account and transfer all of the drug money into another account in Aydin's name.

"So, do you think Nicky can pull this off?" Steely asked Alex as they were working on clearing the garden.

"I'm sure if anyone can, it's Nicky. She's pretty resourceful. How long do you think you'll need?" Alex asked.

"Depends on the bank's firewall and security. If it's easy enough, it'll take me five minutes. If it's tough, maybe thirty."

"If what's tough?" Lolly asked as she appeared from nowhere.

"Jesus, Lolly! You scared me," Alex said. "Where have you been? We could have used your help pulling up all those dead stalks of corn."

"Oh, I've been here and there," Lolly replied as she grabbed a hoe and started to chop at the remaining stalks.

Lolly's non-descript answers always annoyed Alex, but she just chalked it up to Lolly being Lolly.

"So, Whitehill, who were you meeting with in visitation the other day?" Alex asked to change the subject and to try to get a straight answer from Lolly.

"My lawyer, he's working on getting me out of here," Lolly said as she pushed up her glasses.

"Yeah, good luck with that," Steely said. "My lawyer's shit. He doesn't care if I rot in here, as long as he gets his paycheck. I hope yours is better, Lolly."

"Oh yeah, he's real good," Lolly said as she stared at Alex. "Maybe you should talk to him, Vause. He might be able to help you."

Alex thought that was an odd remark, but she thought Lolly might be referring to her CIA / NSA double agent story. So she just played along. "Yeah, maybe you can put in a good word for me."

"Oh, I have," Lolly replied.

Alex didn't really have time to entertain her odd friend, so she signaled to Steely to meet her in the greenhouse. They left the door open to not draw attention to themselves, and they quietly finished discussing their plan.

"I told Nicky to be ready tonight. We need to do this when everyone is at dinner or in the showers," Alex said.

"Okay, I'm ready when you are. Meanwhile, I'll try to call my dad and see if he's got any news on the gun. Have you figured out a way to get it in here if he gets it?"

"Not quite, but I'm hoping to talk to someone that can help," Alex said as she noticed Lolly by one of the windows. "Come on, let's get out of here before Whitehill thinks we're conspiring."

"Oh, I think that's a lost cause. She thinks everyone is conspiring. Her latest conspiracy theory is that King is secretly recruiting girls to form some kind of prison gang."

"Hmm, maybe that's not too far-fetched. She does have quite the following," Alex suggested.

"Yeah, but King? She's like a grandmother. Granted, she's a bitch and a horrible person, but she's old and still pretty new to prison. I just don't see it."

Alex laughed, "Yeah, she may be a little geriatric, but she's cunning and ambitious. I could totally see her as a prison boss. Plus, she's got all those groupie girls that think she's the second coming."

"Yeah, well I just think it's another one of Lolly's crazy theories. I haven't seen many of those pan out," Steely said.

"Well, she _was_ right about Aydin. She just doesn't know it," Alex said.

"Who doesn't know what?" Lolly said as she peeked her head inside the door.

"Fuck, Whitehill. That's the second time you've scared me. You're creepier than usual today," Alex observed.

"I'm just curious. You two keep whispering and hiding. You'd tell me if something was going down, right?" Lolly asked.

"Relax, Loll's. Everything is fine. Alex and I are just trying to work out some emo stuff. You know, from our break up," Steely lied.

"You two broke up? I didn't notice," Lolly said.

"What? You notice everything, and you didn't know?" Alex teased.

"You still seem pretty chummy to me," Lolly replied.

"Yeah, well we're trying to be adults about it," Steely said. "I wish her and Chapman all the happiness in our little Litchfield world."

"Chapman? You mean Piper? You're back with her now?" Lolly asked.

"Yeah," Alex replied.

"Oh, you need to warn her to watch out for King. That woman has got it out for her. You know she's trying to form a prison gang, right? She's recruiting girls. I've been watching her for weeks."

Alex was suddenly concerned. "Wait, what? Why are you saying she has it out for Piper? Do you know something?"

"I may have overheard some things," Lolly replied.

"What things? And don't play your usual aloof bullshit game" Alex demanded.

"Okay, okay, but you didn't hear this from me. I don't want any part of any prison gang drama. I have enough going on, you know," she said as she looked up at Alex.

"Of course, not a word. Just tell me what you heard."

"So, I was in the rec room a few weeks ago. I was people-watching. Okay, I admit it. I like to people-watch," Lolly said animated.

"Never would have guessed," Alex said while Steely tried not to laugh. "Focus, Lolly."

"Anyway, my target that particular day was King. I sat close to where she and another girl were playing cribbage. I was working on a crossword puzzle, and put my earbuds in to pretend like I wasn't listening to them, but I never turned on the radio. I overheard King talking about how she hated every one of her bunkmates, but she especially hated 'that fucking entitled blond'. I assumed she meant Piper and not Steely because… well, um," she stuttered. "Piper _does_ kind of fit that description. Sorry."

Alex shrugged. She couldn't really argue. "Okay, so she just made an observation that everyone that doesn't really know Piper makes. So?"

"Wait, I haven't gotten to the best part yet," Lolly began. "After she said that she told the other woman that she actually knew Piper from the outside and she wanted to make sure that Piper paid for ruining her life."

"What? Piper's never mentioned that she knew King."

"Probably because she said Piper was just a kid when her father would bring her into her restaurant," Lolly offered.

Alex still didn't get the connection. "So Piper—as a kid—somehow ruined her life, and now she's out for revenge? Why? This doesn't make sense."

"Beats me, man. That's all I know. King knew Piper when she was a kid and now she hates her. I mean, who hates a kid?" Lolly pondered. "Prison bosses, that's who! Told you, Vause. Your girl better watch out for JK… no kidding."

"Alex, do you think King could be the one…" she looked at Lolly then back to Alex, "you know, the one that Piper's been having that 'problem' with?"

Alex was just thinking the same thing. "I need to talk to Piper, can you cover for me for a while?"

Steely and Lolly both agreed, and Alex left looking for Piper.

* * *

Piper had been driving the van for a few days now, and she really did enjoy being able to get away from Litchfield for a while. She mostly drove down to Max transferring girls, but sometimes she got to leave the campus and go into the town. It was autumn now, and she enjoyed seeing all of the fall colors in the trees and hills surrounding them. She didn't mind the guard's either, except for Coates. He was every bit the perv Boo had warned her about.

She had heard from a few other inmates that he had forced them into doing some pretty horrible things. Maritza had to go back to the kitchen because she was terrified of him. Also, she couldn't be sure, but she could almost bet that he had done something to Doggett. She was just too quiet lately, and she knew Boo had become pretty protective of her. She was thankful that she didn't have to ride with him too often. He gave her the creeps, but she felt like if push came to shove that she could handle him. Prison had made her tougher, and she had no problem with defending herself if he ever tried something. To hell with the consequences.

She was on her way back from town with CO Bell. They had just taken a girl that was getting released to the bus stop. She had been in four and a half years for grand theft and she was looking forward to seeing her daughter and mother again.

"So, Chapman, you've been here a while now. How much more time do you have left?" Wanda Bell asked, making polite conversation.

"God, a couple more months I hope," Piper said in exasperation. "I mean, no offense, but I'm so sick of prison. I can't wait to drive my own car and go wherever I want, and not have to carry a roll of toilet paper with me to the bathroom."

Bell laughed, "You know, a lot of these girls always end up back in here and I can never figure out why. I don't think you'll be one of those girls, Chapman."

"Definitely not. I'll never come back to prison."

"Careful, never say never," Bell said.

Piper parked the van and they got out and headed back inside. She took her jacket off and hung it up on the rack, and she asked Bell if she was could go to the cafeteria to get lunch. As she headed up the corridor, she heard some commotion coming from the rec room. She noticed a group of women were standing by the doorway watching. She stood on her tiptoes to see what was going on, and she saw two guards holding someone down and removing pink things in baggies from her pants.

Just then someone grabbed Piper's wrist, and she turned to see Alex.

"Alex, hey, check this out, something's going on…" Piper began but Alex pulled her away from the crowded doorway.

"Piper, I've got to talk to you," Alex said.

Just then the guards brought the girl out of the rec room in handcuffs. It was Stella. The guards were holding packages that looked awfully familiar. Panties. Alex and Piper both looked at each other in surprise.

"They're not mine," Stella yelled, "I was moving them for my boss."

"Oh yeah, you gonna name names inmate, or are you just gonna take the rap for this?" The officer taunted.

Stella looked up, "It's her. Chapman. I work for Piper Chapman, and we've been stealing and selling dirty Whispers panties online."

* * *

A/N – I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I've already started on the next chapter, and I will update within the next couple of days, I promise. For anyone reading this in France, please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. Words cannot express the sadness in my heart for you. Je t'aime Paris.


	34. Chapter 34 One Last Trick

Chapter 34  
One Last Trick

"You stupid fucking bitch," Alex yelled as she lunged at Stella, knocking her to the floor and grabbing her around the throat. She barely had started to squeeze when the guards acted quickly and pulled her off Stella.

"That's a shot, inmate! Control yourself or we'll have to restrain you," the guard said as he continued to hold a pissed off and writhing Alex.

"Fuck you," Alex spat back at him.

"Okay, that's another shot. One more and you're headed to the SHU," he said.

Piper then stepped in front of Alex so that she could only see her. "Alex, please… it's okay. Stop. Please don't get sent back to the SHU."

"What the hell is going on here?" Caputo asked appraising the situation before him.

"Sir, we caught this one with a shit ton of these shoved down her pants," the second guard said handing a packaged pair of pink undies to Caputo. "She confessed to stealing and selling the dirty underwear online for her boss... um, that one. The blond inmate." He pointed at Piper.

"And then this one attacked the other one, and got smart with us so I'm giving her two shots," the guard holding onto Alex said.

Caputo stared at Piper in disbelief. "Chapman? Really? Didn't you just get out of the SHU? Do you not remember what I told you would happen if you got caught doing something stupid again?"

"Yes, but…"

Caputo cut her off, "And you didn't think this was something stupid? Stealing and selling dirty underwear? Online, nonetheless? This is a felony charge, Chapman. I hope you're ready for Max."

"You're not even going to let me explain?" Piper asked angrily. "Carlin is fucking lying. I had nothing to do with those panties shoved down her pants. I'm not her boss."

"Bullshit, I've been working for her for months. Even before I went to Max. I can prove it… just look online for Felonious Spunk. That's her website," Stella said.

"This is bullshit. She's a fucking liar. She works for King. King's the one behind this," Alex said.

Piper turned and looked at her.

"I was trying to tell you when all this happened," Alex said to Piper.

"They're the ones lying. I mean, they're a couple for Christ's sake. They're working together. Ask anyone here. They all know the truth," Stella urged.

Caputo looked around, and then asked the group of bystanders, "Okay, what's the truth here? Do you inmates have something you want to share? Or should I call every one of you into my office one by one?"

"It's Chapman. She's been paying girls to wear underwear for her," one inmate said.

"Yeah, Chapman's the one," another said.

"King doesn't have anything to do with this, it's Chapman," a third girl said.

Caputo looked at Piper, "Well, Chapman?"

Piper was growing angrier by the second. "They're all lying. They all work for King. How obvious is that? They're trying to set me up."

Caputo rubbed the scruff on his chin in consideration, and then said to the guards, "Okay, here's what we're going to do. Chapman and Crocodile Dundee here are going to the SHU for the next 24 hours while we investigate this matter further." He then started to gather a handful of the packaged undies, "I'm just going to keep a few of these for evidence."

The guard finally released Alex and she grabbed a stunned Piper's hand and whispered in her ear, "We'll figure this out, don't worry. I won't let them take you to Max. I love you." Then Piper's hand was pulled away and she had to watch as the girl she loved more than life itself was handcuffed and led away. She felt sick. She felt hurt. But most of all she felt rage.

She was walking towards the cafeteria before she even fully realized it. She didn't know what was about to happen, she wasn't thinking rationally anymore, she just wanted to knock someone out. She barely noticed Nicky, Lorna, Boo, and Red sitting at a table near the line. She went straight for the back of the kitchen where she saw the target of all her anger.

"King, what the fuck are you doing to Piper?" Alex yelled and walked right up between King and a few of her groupies. The was in her face, hovering over the shorter woman.

The woman laughed in Alex's face. "What, is the little princess having a problem? I have no idea what you're talking about, honey," the woman drawled.

She started to walk past Alex, and Alex pushed her back. "I know what you're up to, bitch. You're setting up Piper, but why? For what? What has she ever done to you?"

"Take your fucking hands off me, Black Betty. You really don't want to mess with me," she said as she looked at her crew.

Out of her peripheral, Alex could see women starting to creep in on her. She didn't care. She pushed King up against a wall, and put her forearm against her throat. "I'm going to make sure you pay for this. I don't know what your problem is with Piper, but now _I'm_ your problem."

A few of the groupie girls jumped in and pulled her off and had her pinned against a table. She saw one grab a knife and start to thrust it at her. She closed her eyes, but the sharp pain she was expecting never came. She opened her eyes and saw Red had the girl by the arm and quickly slammed it against the table as the knife dropped. She looked around and Boo, Nicky, and even Lorna had these girls pushed back.

"I don't know what the fuck is going on here, but if you have a problem with this one…" Red said pointing her thumb back at Alex while staring down Judy King, "… then you have a problem with all of us. And, I'm pretty sure _you_ don't want to mess with us."

"Get out of _my_ kitchen, bitch. Next time you come back here, will be the last," King said.

Nicky grabbed Alex and pulled her out. They were thankful the guards hadn't noticed the commotion, and they went to the library to talk. After several warnings from Poussey to keep their voices down, Alex finally finished telling them what had happened with Piper and Stella. She told them that Piper would be sent down to Max if she couldn't figure out a way to prove it was King that did this and not Piper. They all agreed that Piper would never make it in Max. She would either be targeted for being an uppity version of Taylor Swift or she'd lose her temper too quickly and end up getting hurt… or worse. Nicky had some ideas and wanted to go talk to some of Piper's former panty girls to see if they would help Piper out, so she and Lorna left. Alex stayed with Red. She wanted to talk to her anyway, and now seemed like as good a time as any.

She told Red everything. About how Aydin was forcing her to sell drugs for Kubra, about her connection to Steely's dad, and about the gun. She asked for Red's advice on how to get it in here if Louie could get it. Red told her that she would make a call and make it happen. Alex was grateful. She knew Red didn't have much time left on her own lengthy sentence and she hated putting that in jeopardy. She thanked Red again, and asked her for one more favor.

A little while later Nicky came back, and told them that she didn't think any of the girls were going to help Piper out. They were all working for King now, and they would say whatever King wanted. Alex felt defeated, but she still had one last trick up her sleeve. It was a huge risk, but she knew it was the only alternative. She still just needed a little more help to pull it off. She needed her hacker friend, and she hoped that this whole mess with her and Stella wasn't going to be an issue. She made a quick stop after she left the library, and then went to find Steely.

* * *

She found Steely in her bunk reading some kind of tech magazine. Alex wasn't sure if she had heard about what happened with Stella and Piper yet, but usually word got around pretty fast in here. _Twitter's got nothing on prison_ , she thought.

"Nerd Weekly?" she asked cautiously trying to gauge Steely's current mood.

Steely sat up and gave a half-hearted smile, "Yeah, you got me. Just trying to keep current."

"So, I take it you heard about what happened with Piper and Stella?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, listen, Alex. I had no idea about this. I didn't know anything until Lolly was telling us about it. Stella never mentioned anything about this… not to me. I just want you to know that I would never be a part of something petty like that."

"Yeah, I think I know that by now," Alex said as she nudged her foot with her own. "Look, I need you to do me a favor."

"Okay," Steely said.

Alex explained her plan to Steely, and told her that Nicky would be ready to help. Steely was concerned, but Alex reassured her it would all work out. At least, that was her hope. She really, really needed this to work.

"You just do your part, and everything will be fine. I'm not going to let Piper go down for this." Alex said. "I'm counting on you, Steely."

* * *

Alex left Steely after planning out a few more things. She went to her own bunk.

She needed to think, and more importantly—she needed to write something.

When she was done, she walked out of the dorms, down the corridor, and up to the administration desk. She asked to see Caputo, and after a short wait she was led to his office.

Caputo looked pissed. "Vause, if you're here to try to convince me that your girlfriend didn't do this, then you're wasting your time. I've already talked to 15 girls that all say they were working for Chapman. None of them have implicated King in anyway… and King has been an exemplary prisoner since she got here. I can't really say the same for Chapman."

"Listen, Mr. Caputo…" Alex began but was quickly cut off by Caputo.

"How do you think this makes me look to MCC? The fucking Whispers company is threatening to pull their contract with us because I can't seem to keep my inmates from stealing their product. I could get fired for this, Vause. Your girlfriend is definitely going down for this."

"Piper didn't do it. The website, the panties, the girls, the whole thing… it wasn't Piper. It was me. I've been recruiting girls to steal from Whispers, wear the underwear, and give them back to me. I then get it to the outside where my friend sells it on _my_ website. You know, the one you have pulled up on your screen there," Alex said pointing at his computer monitor.

Caputo looked a little flustered and quickly turned his screen away from view. "Yeah, sure you do. Look, I get it. You don't want your girl to go down to Max, you'll miss her or whatever, but you can't just confess to something without proof. It doesn't work like that."

"I think this should do it," Alex said as she placed a cell phone on Caputo's desk. "It has all the wire transfers I've made to each girl's account. I also have witnesses that are willing to come forward and say that it was me. Credible witnesses, and not these dumb groupie girls of King. Is that proof enough?"

Caputo grinned. "You really want to do this, Vause?"

"It's done," Alex said.

* * *

A/N – Yikes, poor kids can't catch a break! I hope you enjoyed, please review. I'll try to post another update by this weekend. Thanks for reading, and thank you for all the reviews. - J


	35. Chapter 35 Photograph

Chapter 35  
Photograph

Piper was startled when the door rattled open to her solitary cell in the SHU. She was even more startled to see that it was Caputo. She figured this was it… he was about to tell her she was heading to Max. She had tried to prepare herself for that outcome, but she was struggling with it. She didn't want to leave Alex behind, and she was even angrier that King had done this to her… and for what? She still didn't understand why King hated her so much. Sure, she had given her a hard time since she got here, and she may have drunkenly dumped a lunch tray on her, but was that really reason enough for her vindictive wrath?

"Chapman, let's go. You're free to go, and I need you to drive a couple of inmates down to Max. Officer Coates is waiting for you in the garage."

Piper stood up, and looked at Caputo with confusion. "I'm free to go? You mean, King…?"

"No, it wasn't King after all. Apparently it was your gal pal, Vause."

Piper felt all of the blood rush from her head. She had to steady herself against the stainless steel sink. "What? No, Alex didn't do this. Who said Alex did this?"

"Vause confessed, Chapman. It's done. She gave me a cell phone detailing all of the wire transfers to the 'panty girls'."

Piper was stunned. She couldn't understand what the fuck Alex was thinking. How could she do this? Why would she confess to this?

"Don't look so sad, Chapman. Be thankful that I'm giving you the opportunity to take her down there and say goodbye. You won't be seeing her for a long while after today, I'm afraid. Now, let's get going. Or would you rather stay down here?"

Piper walked with Caputo to the garage. She saw Stella in cuffs, and then she saw her gorgeous raven haired girlfriend, also in cuffs. Nothing she could do would stop the tears from coming. She ran straight for Alex and hugged her. She whispered, "Alex, what's going on? Why would you do this? This wasn't you."

Alex wished she could put her arms around Piper too, but instead she just breathed her in, and whispered back to her, "Piper, I'm the reason you're in here and there's no way I could let you do more time. I'm doing this to make amends. I want you to get out in the next few months and enjoy your life."

Piper pulled back from the embrace and cupped Alex's face in her hands, "Alex, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure King pays for this. I'll prove your innocence and you'll be back here with me soon. Okay?"

Alex was fighting back tears of her own. "Okay. I love you, Piper. Please remember that."

"Okay, inmates, we're ready to roll," Coates announced.

He loaded Alex and Stella in the back of the van, and Piper went around to the driver's side. She couldn't think straight. She kept looking at Alex in the rearview mirror. Somehow she managed to shift the van into drive and start down the hill.

When they arrived at Max, Piper made a bold move. She looked directly at Officer Coates and said, "I'm going to need you to step the fuck out of this van and let me talk to these inmates for a few minutes."

"Excuse me, inmate?" a stunned Coates asked. "You can't tell me what to do."

"Oh yeah, well how about if you don't do what I said then when I get back I go straight to Caputo and fill him in on all of your pervy deeds with Ramos, Doggett, and all the other girls. I'm sure after hearing from enough of us, he'll start to listen and then your disgusting ass will be down here in the men's prison. And I'd be willing to bet that they just love having former CO's in there."

Coates appeared to be shocked by Piper's bold statement. He broke his eye contact with her and started to exit the van. "I'll give you five minutes, inmate. Don't try anything tricky."

When he was out of the van, Piper turned around to face Alex and Stella. "Carlin, how much will it take for you to name King? What's your price?"

Stella stumbled for words, "What? You think you can buy me, Chapman?"

"Well, considering you've already stolen from me… yeah, I think I can. So what's your price?"

"Pipes, don't even waste your time, she's so far up King's ass her eyes are brown."

"Fuck you, Vause. I'm actually done with King."

"Yeah?" Piper asked.

"Look, when I got back from Max, King approached me. She said she had heard about our little fiasco, and thought that I might be looking to get some kind of revenge. And, at the time, I really wanted to get back at you, so I agreed to help her. She was already stealing your panty girls before I got back. She just wanted me to take the fall and to say that I was working for you. She promised that I wouldn't get sent back here, but I guess she's fucked me over too."

"But why is she after Piper anyway?" Alex asked.

Stella shrugged her shoulders, "I dunno. I'm not certain, she only said that she had lost a lot because of her. I didn't fully understand why."

"I have to tell Caputo this. If you say it was King, then maybe you can both get out of Max."

"I don't have any proof, Piper. King was very careful. It would just be my word against hers, and she's going to say I'm just being desperate trying to avoid being sent to Max," Stella said.

"She's right, Pipes. Without some kind of concrete evidence to tie King directly to the panties, there's nothing we can do now."

"Carlin, get out," Piper said as she reached back and slid open the van door.

Stella stepped out where Coates was standing, and Piper hopped over the seat and slid the door shut again and sat down beside Alex. She just looked at her for a moment, then she said, "Hi."

Alex smiled, and replied, "Hi."

"Alex, what are we going to do? What are you going to do about Kubra and Aydin if you're stuck down here?"

"Talk to Steely and Nicky when you get back. They know what to do. Help out if you can, but under no circumstances whatsoever put yourself in any kind of danger. King's still after you. Steely can fill you in on what Lolly told us about her. She knows you from the outside, Pipes. When you were a kid, she said your dad would bring you to her restaurant. Does that make any sense to you?"

Piper thought back. She could remember her dad taking her to some restaurant a very long time ago, but she wasn't sure why that was significant. She kept trying to remember if she had ever seen King there. "I'm not sure. Maybe I need to ask my father. If he'll talk to me, and that's a pretty big 'if'."

"Just be careful, okay? Promise me that you'll be careful," Alex demanded.

"I'll be careful. I promise."

Coates knocked on the window and pointed at his watch.

"You know, we could just haul ass. We could pull a Ms. Rosa and escape," Piper suggested.

Alex laughed softly, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I could get someone to make us some fake ID's. We could be on a beach in Cambodia by tomorrow."

Piper smiled, "I love Cambodia."

"Me too," Alex said.

Piper slid closer to Alex and kissed her. She kissed her like it was their first time, and she kissed her as if it could be their last… because for all she knew, it really could be.

"I love you, Alex," she said as she pressed her forehead to Alex's.

"I love you too, Pipes."

* * *

Piper returned to Litchfield, numb and angry. She wasn't sure she could hold herself back if she ran into King—which eventually she would, since she _was_ her bunk mate. She had the sudden thought of suffocating her with her pissy-smelling pillow in the middle of the night, and then she heard someone calling her name. It was Nicky.

"Chapman, you're out?" Nicky asked surprised.

Piper nodded her head, "Yeah… Alex…"

Nicky rubbed her friend's arms trying to comfort her, "I knew it. I knew she wasn't going to let you go down."

"She told me to talk to you. How can I help? We've got to help her, Nicky," she said as she started to lose it again.

"We will, don't worry. Vause is smart and tough. She'll be okay in there for a while. We'll get her back, and we're going to help get rid of the asshole guard too. Come on, there's someone else you need to talk to too."

Piper followed Nicky to the dorms and to her cubicle where Steely was waiting on Alex's bunk.

"Okay, so I take it Alex followed through on her plan," Steely said looking at Piper.

"Yeah, so we've got to get her ass out of there. What did you find out?" Nicky asked Steely.

"I talked to my dad, and he's got the…," she looked around and then whispered, "gun."

"Really!? Oh my God, this is huge," Piper said. "But how are we going to get it in here?"

"Vause talked to Red, we just have to let her know and she's going to take care of it," Nicky explained.

"Red's helping?" Piper asked.

"Of course, she likes you Chapman. You have to know that by now, otherwise she would have gotten rid of your ass a while ago when you were being such a dick."

"Okay, so you talk to Red and give her the details, but tonight we need to get to that computer. Can you pull it off?" Steely asked Nicky.

"Yeah, I got it under control. You just meet me by the janitorial closet in one hour, capeesh?"

"Got it." Steely said.

"Okay, so what should I do?" Piper asked.

"Stay out of the way," Nicky said. "Vause was adamant that we keep you out of this as much as possible. We'll find you after it's done and let you know what's going on next."

"But I want to help," Piper demanded.

"You can help by not attacking King tonight while she's sleeping," Nicky said.

Piper wondered how Nicky could read her mind.

"Just play it cool, Chapman. Don't make what Alex did for you all for nothing. Be smart, let us handle this and if we need your help, we'll definitely ask you. For now, just stay put," Steely said.

* * *

After Steely and Nicky left, Piper just stayed behind and sat on Alex's bunk. She grabbed her pillow and inhaled deeply. It smelled of her love. Vanilla and honey, and something else that was just indescribably Alex. It was as much intoxicating as it was soothing. Piper held onto it and looked around at her things—her lotions, her hairbrush, her books. She didn't want anyone else stealing her things, so she got up and started collecting them. She would keep them until Alex got out. And Alex _would_ get out. She had to keep telling herself this.

She took Alex's things back to her own bunk and when she grabbed the last book to put it away, something felt out. It was a photograph, and it looked pretty worn. She picked it up, and she almost couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was an old photo of her and Alex. It was from the Paris trip. She had never seen it before, but she remembered taking it. It was their second day there, and they had been sightseeing all day. They had asked a stranger to snap the photo of them. They were standing in front of the Eiffel Tower and they were in a tight embrace—Piper holding onto Alex and Alex's arms wrapped around her. Alex had kept it all these years.

Suddenly Piper was emotional again. She sat back down on her bunk and stared at the photo. She wished she could go back in time to that day. She would set everything right. She would have never left Alex, and when Alex proposed to her, she would have said yes. They wouldn't be in separate prisons—or prison at all, for that matter—they would be somewhere warm and sunny, and they would be perfect and happy and so in love.

She grabbed the book to stick the photo back in when she noticed there was writing on the back of it. The writing seemed fresh unlike the agedness of the rest of the photo. It was Alex's handwriting:

 _Pipes,_

 _We keep this love in a photograph  
We made these memories for ourselves  
Where our eyes are never closing  
Hearts are never broken  
Times forever frozen still_

 _So you can keep me  
Inside the pocket  
Of your ripped jeans  
Holdin' me closer  
'Til our eyes meet  
You won't ever be alone  
Wait for me to come home_

 _…I know this is cheesy, but every time I hear this song, it reminds me of us. I love you, Piper. Please wait for me…_

 _Love, Alex_

Piper closed her eyes and held the photo close to her heart. When she opened her eyes again, Judy King was there.

* * *

A/N – I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Not sure I can update again until later in the week. Happy Thanksgiving to my US readers! - J


	36. Chapter 36 The Sins of the Father

Chapter 36  
The Sins of the Father

When Piper looked up and saw King standing there, her first thought was to go for her throat. She hated the way the red-haired woman was looking down at her—sneering, with a look of victory on her smug fucking face. She kept her cool when she thought of Steely's words about not making Alex do all of this for nothing. She simply stood up and faced Judy King straight on and being a few inches taller than King, it was almost as if King cowered a little. Piper knew she wasn't so tough without her groupies around.

"So, are you going to explain this to me?" Piper asked.

"Explain what?"

"This whole vendetta thing you have against me. It can't just be because I dumped a tray of food on you. Come on, tell me what's the really going on here. I can tell that you want to… that it's just eating you from the inside out. So spill it, King," Piper said shoving her finger into King's chest.

"You really have no idea, do you? Well, I'm really not surprised. You're the type of person that thinks they're better than everyone else. You've probably never had to work for anything in your pathetic, pampered life."

Piper was surprised by the accusation, "Excuse, me? You don't know anything about me… you don't know what I've had to work for in my life or the things I've done. Who the fuck do you think you are? You're the rich, snooty, celebrity chef."

"I worked my ass off for what I have, princess. I built my up my brand from scratch. No one handed me anything on a silver platter. Everything I have is because of my hard work and my success," King said defensively and angrily.

"You mean everything you _had_ , right? Because if I recall, the feds took back everything that you had stolen and embezzled," Piper said with a smirk.

King stepped towards Piper, and said, "And it's all your fault."

Piper almost laughed, "How is this my fault?"

"Your father and I were business partners years ago. I bet you never knew that, did you, princess?"

"What? My father? And you? No, I would have known that," Piper said.

"My name wasn't Judy King back then. I was Linda Murray, and I was a struggling chef that was trying to open my own restaurant. That's when I met your father. He would come to the restaurant where I worked as a sou chef. We struck up a conversation one day, and I told him my dreams of owning my own restaurant, and he offered to invest. He was such a charmer, your father."

Piper searched her brain, she had never heard anything about her father co-owning a restaurant. "My father, Bill Chapman?"

"Yes, your precious father," King smirked, "and not only was he an investor in my restaurant… we were fucking like two wild rabbits. You don't remember him bringing you to my restaurant for ice cream? While you were stuffing your face with mint chocolate chip, your father was stuffing me."

Piper was furious now. She didn't understand why this woman was making up such lies about her father. Then she suddenly flashed back to that day so long ago when she went with Sara H. to sneak in the movie theater to see _Dazed and Confused_. She had seen her father coming out of a restaurant with a red haired lady, and then he kissed her and put her in his car. Then she remembered how Cal always joked about how their dad had fucked two different women called Linda. _Was that fucking Judy King?_ Piper thought.

"Your father ruined me. He promised me he would leave his wife to be with me. We had planned to sell the restaurant eventually and move to the south of France. But he lied. In the end, he said he couldn't go through with it. He didn't want to break up his family because his little princess needed him too much. He left me high and dry. My restaurant folded, and I was left with nothing. He broke my heart, and for what… to stay with his drunk of a wife and spoiled bratty kids. I could have given him the life he's always truly wanted."

"Fuck you," Piper said.

"Oh, the truth hurts, doesn't it princess? You probably thought he was a saint all these years. Well, now you know. Your father ruined my life. I was never the same person after he left me. I ended up marrying someone that I can barely tolerate, and I let greed ruin any success I ever had after your father," King said dramatically.

"So all this panty business of yours was just your way of getting revenge? For my father leaving you?" Piper asked, still in disbelief.

"I wanted to make you pay for your father's sins. I recognized your name soon after getting here, and then I saw him with you in visitation over the summer… with your drunk mother and those hippies. Oh, and he saw me too. You know, I bet that's probably the only reason he came to visit you. He probably just wanted to see me again," King laughed, taunting Piper.

Piper had enough. She would have to apologize to Alex when she got to Max because she was about to throttle this woman. But just as she was about to lunge at her, Red appeared from behind her and stepped around and got between her and King.

"That's enough, Blondie," she said as she grabbed onto both of Piper's shoulders and started to push her out of the cubicle. "She's not worth it. Let's go. Now!" Red said loudly enough to bring Piper back to reality.

"This isn't over, King," Piper said as Red dragged her out of the dorms.

* * *

Steely met Nicky in the janitorial closet as instructed. They were going to attempt to get to Caputo's computer in the front offices. It wouldn't be too suspicious for Nicky to clean up there at this hour, but it would be suspicious if Steely went with her, so Steely had to hide in a janitorial cleaning cart. It was a tight space for the tall girl, but she managed. Once she was safely hidden inside, Nicky started to push the cleaning cart toward the front offices.

"Geez, you're not as light as you look, Banks," Nicky said as she struggled to push the cart.

"Fuck you, Nichols," came Steely's muffled reply from the cart.

"It's that delicious prison food, right? I gained five pounds my first year here. I blame it on taco nights," Nicky said, laughing a little.

"Just take it easy on the bumps there, Nichols, fuck," Steely said as Nicky was pushing her over what felt like huge speed bumps.

"Relax, I'm a great driver. We're almost there. Now be quiet while I talk to the guards at the front desk."

Steely listened as Nicky bullshitted her way past the guards into Caputo's office. Once inside, Nicky closed the door, and helped Steely out.

"Okay, do your thing, James Bond," Nicky said pointing towards the computer.

Steely went straight to the computer and sat down to work. "Jesus!"

"What? What's wrong?" Nicky asked startled.

"There's like twenty windows of porn up," Steely said as she vigorously clicked the mouse to minimize the offending windows.

"You seem surprised," Nicky joked, "from a guy with a box of Kleenex and hand lotion on his desk."

After a few more minutes of furious typing, Steely said, "Okay, I'm in." She looked down at her arm where she had the account number written, _4815162342,_ and she typed those in. She quickly transferred all of that money into a fake account under Aydin's name. The grand total was well over $7 million. She was surprised by the amount of money in the account, but then she remembered Alex telling her that this wasn't the only prison they had girls working.

"How much longer?" Nicky asked anxiously as she half-cleaned the floor.

"Money is transferred, and it's more than I thought, which is even better. Now, just a couple more things, then we're done," she said.

"Good, hurry up," Nicky urged.

After a few minutes, Steely announced that she was all done. Nicky was relieved and helped Steely back into the cart. She pushed her past the guards, and back into the janitorial closet.

"We make a good team, Nichols," Steely said as she climbed out of the cart again. "Nice working with you."

"Yeah, let's just hope this works. Are you going to find Piper and let her know everything went smoothly?"

"Yeah, I'll find her. Things are about to get very exciting," Steely said with a devilish smirk on her face.

"Great, as if things weren't already exciting enough," Nicky replied. "Catch up with you later, Banks."

* * *

Steely found Piper with Red in the rec room. They were huddled together at a table talking quietly. She made her way over and sat down with them.

Piper looked at her anxiously, "How did it go?"

"Fine. Everything is set. The money is in an account in Aydin's name… all $7 million of it."

"Holy shit," Piper said as Red also swore in Russian.

"Yeah, I was surprised too, but Alex had told me that this wasn't the only prison they were working. Who knows how many other girls and prisons are tied to that account. That was pretty sloppy of Kubra to have all of that money in one account," Steely said.

"Very sloppy," Red agreed. "The Russians would never be so careless."

"So, what about the other thing? Were you able to do that too?" Piper asked.

"Oh, yeah, that was a piece of cake," Steely said smiling. "The website domain for Felonius Spunk is now registered to one Judy King."

"Excellent," said Piper.

"Now all you have to do is get Caputo to re-investigate it, and he'll see that King is behind everything. That coupled with Stella's confession about King should be enough to free Alex."

"And the cell phone records on the phone Alex gave to Caputo?"

"I took care of that too. The money transfers now appear to come from King's commissary account," Steely said.

"God, Steely. You're amazing. I cannot thank you enough. I know you're really putting yourself out there to help Alex, and I really appreciate it," Piper said genuinely.

Steely smiled, "No problem, Chapman. Alex is a good person, and of course I would help her, but this is more than that for me. This is for my mom too."

"Right, and next we're going to take down the fucker that killed her," Piper said.

"So we're all good getting the gun in here?" Steely asked looking at Red.

"It's been handled," Red said. "It'll be here tomorrow. Your father has passed it off to my guy already. Chapman, you'll need to pick it up on your van run into town. An inmate is being released tomorrow, so you'll be going to the bus station. Once you're there, and when the guard leaves the van, my guy will come up to your window and pass it off to you. He's a professional, so don't worry. He knows what he's doing. Stuff it your pants before the guard gets back."

"What if they search me when I get back?" Piper asked.

"Have they ever searched you after driving into town?" Red asked.

"Well, no, but…" Piper began.

"I'm going with the assumption that they won't search you. If they do, then you're fucked. The price you pay for love, Blondie," Red said with a smirk.

"Okay, so once Piper has the gun in hand—or in pants—then we'll plant it in Aydin's locker. Nicky can get access," Steely said.

"But, don't we need to get his fingerprints on it?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, um… that's going to be the tricky part, but luckily your genius girlfriend already thought about that," Steely said. "She asked Aydin to bring in something special for one of the junkies."

"Yeah?" Piper asked.

"Have you ever heard of Rohypnol?" Steely asked.

Piper tried to remember where she had heard that before. "Rohypnol… oh my God. Roofies? We're going to roofie Aydin?"

Steely laughed, "Yep, he's going to be so fucked up, we can do pretty much whatever we want to him, and he won't remember anything about it later."

* * *

A/N – Sorry it took a while to update this week. I've had a bit of writer's block lately, plus it was a holiday weekend. I will try to do better next week. Thanks for reading! I appreciate all of your reviews! - J


	37. Chapter 37 Just a Tuesday

Chapter 37  
Just a Tuesday

Piper awoke the next morning, and she anxiously started pacing the floor of their cubicle. She wasn't worried about King anymore with Steely and Red there, but her thoughts were focused on making the bitch pay for what she had done. She was ready to talk to Caputo, and she had come up with a good plan to get him to re-investigate the case. She was also trying to mentally prepare herself for later today when she had to go on a van run and smuggle a gun back into prison. And, finally—on top of all of this—she and Steely were going to roofie a psychotic killer guard later. In her pre-prison life, this would have been a truly dramatic series of events, but after many months in prison and after everything she had been through in here—this was just a Tuesday.

She made her way to Caputo's office where she wasn't received with much enthusiasm from Caputo.

"Chapman? Haven't we seen enough of each other for a while?" he asked while shuffling papers on his desk.

Piper came in and sat down across from him. "Well, I just found out a few little somethings that I thought may interest you."

"Oh boy, I can't wait to hear," Caputo said sarcastically.

"Well, first of all when I took Vause and Carlin down to Max yesterday, Carlin admitted that it _was_ Judy King that put her up to getting caught with those panties. She wanted to set me up because she hates me."

"Chapman, your girlfriend confessed. She gave me a phone with plenty of evidence on it. This case is closed, you're beating a dead horse here."

"Well, if Alex is the guilty one, then why did I find these this morning in King's bunk?" Piper asked pulling out a baggie full of colorful Whispers undies.

Caputo's face reddened. He had to loosen his tie. "Did you plant those there, Chapman, because that's a serious offense? You'll be down there with your girlfriend, is that what you want? Because I can arrange that."

Piper stood up, angrily. "I didn't plant these. How could I? I haven't worked at Whispers in weeks. Remember you transferred me to van duty. Where—by the way—I've discovered you have one of the most sick and twisted guards I've ever met. Did you know that's he's sexually assaulted and harassed over half the women here? Does MCC know this? Because I'd be more than willing to enlighten them."

"What do you want?" Caputo asked angrily.

"I want you to re-investigate this case. How about actually checking the cell phone records, and how about looking into the owner of that website? You know, it's pretty simple to find out who owns a web domain. Anyone can look it up. And, when you find out who's really behind this, I want Alex sent back up here. Carlin too, if she agrees to testify against King."

"Is that all?"

"No, I also want you to grow some fucking balls and investigate that sick fucker, Coates. He needs to be fired, but more than that, he needs to pay for what he's done to these women. These poor, defenseless women who are already under some of the worst circumstances possible."

Caputo held his head down in defeat. "And, then you'll keep your mouth shut, and not make an even bigger deal of this to MCC? I'm taking enough heat about it as is with this whole panty caper. I'll take care of Coates too."

"Deal."

He reached across the desk, hand extended. Piper hesitated because she knew the possibilities of where that hand had been, but she shook it anyway. She left his office feeling confident. With Steely's help, all the evidence was going to point directly at King, and more importantly, Alex would be back soon. She felt relieved, and now all she had to do was save Alex's life. She would do it, no matter what. Today, Aydin and Kubra were going to pay for what they had done to her love. Then Alex would finally be free, and they could have a future together some day that didn't involve illegal activities or drug lords.

As if on cue, Officer O'Neill stopped Piper in the hallway and said they needed to make a van run to the bus station. Piper headed to the garage, grabbed her coat, and went to start up the van. It was colder out now, she could see her breath hanging in the cold air. She got in the van and cranked up the heater. She wondered which inmate was getting released today, while she blew hot air into her cold hands. Out of the corner of eye she saw O'Neill and a blaze of red hair.

"Holy fuck! Red?" Piper said in disbelief.

She watched as O'Neill opened the door to let Red inside. "Hello, Blondie," Red said as she winked at Piper.

"Red, oh my God, you're getting out? Why didn't you say something?"

Red sat there with her fierce hair and bright lipstick—stoic. "I hate goodbyes, Blondie. It's bad enough I have to say goodbye to you. I just couldn't bear to do it with Nicky. Please tell her I'm sorry, and that I will come to visit her whenever I can."

"I'll tell her," Piper said. "I'm so happy for you, Red."

O'Neill hopped in and they took off for the bus station. With the excitement of seeing Red, Piper had almost forgotten about her mission with the gun. She went over it again in her head. _Pull up to the bus station. O'Neill gets out. I quickly roll down my window and some random guy is going to appear with a gun. I quickly stuff the gun into my pants. I wore extra think granny panties today. I'm good. I've got this._

She pulled up to the bus station. She looked up in the rearview mirror and saw Red watching someone to their left. She quickly looked up at Piper and gave a slight nod of the head. O'Neill was busy eating a Long John—in fact, he was so busy with it, he said the worst thing possible.

"The door's unlocked, Red, you can go. Enjoy your freedom," he said as he took another bite.

Red and Piper quickly exchanged glances.

"Officer O'Neill, I was wondering if you could perhaps give me a hand into the station. I injured my back again yesterday and I can't really carry all of my things. Please, if you don't mind," Red said almost sweetly.

Piper had never heard Red use so many nice words at once. She almost laughed. But it worked, O'Neill grunted, but he put down the Long John and opened the door for Red and helped her out.

"So long, Blondie. Try to remember all of my wise words to you, and you'll go far in life," Red said smiling at Piper.

"So long, Red. I hope to see you again someday," Piper said smiling back at her.

Then she watched as O'Neill carried her box of stuff as they slowly walked into the bus station.

She was startled when someone knocked on the window. "Fuck," she said as she rolled down the window.

The guy handed her a brown paper bag with something heavy inside it. "Thanks," she said awkwardly as she watched the guy walk away. She looked inside the bag, and there it was. The gun. The gun that killed Steely's mom and that got Alex sent back to prison.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw O'Neill opening the door. She panicked and stuck the gun in her coat pocket instead of down her pants. But now it was too late to do anything about it. O'Neill was buckling up, while grabbing the rest of his Long John. _Fuck me_ , she thought. _Okay, don't panic, no big deal, you'll just get it from your coat pocket after you get back. As you hang it up, you can quickly grab it and shove it down your pants. You still got this._

Piper pulled back up at the prison and parked the van. O'Neill got out and she almost tried to move the gun then, but she saw Officer Bell was there waiting and watching. She got out of the van and saw Nicky, Steely, Boo, and Pennsatucky sitting at a table outside. She assumed by now that word had gotten out that Red had been released. She wondered how Nicky was taking it.

"Chapman, I'm going to need to do a search on your person," Officer Bell said.

Piper's heart dropped. "What? Why? I've never been searched after a van run before, this is bullshit!"

"New orders from Caputo this morning. All inmates must now be searched before and after a van run. You can thank your panty stealing girlfriend for that," Bell said.

Nicky, Steely, Boo and Pennsatucky seemed to be watching in horror. Piper stood frozen. She wasn't sure what to do. She was literally fucked if she got searched right now. Just then she heard Boo screaming for help. She looked over and it seemed as if Pennsatucky was having some type of seizure. Officers Bell and O'Neill quickly ran over to her, and Piper saw Steely walking quickly towards her.

When she was close enough, she said, "Give it to me, quick."

Piper fumbled in her coat pocket and quickly passed off the gun to Steely. Steely headed towards the greenhouse with it.

"I'm okay. I'm feeling better now," Pennsatucky said. "These seizures of mine are crazy… they just come and go real quick sometimes."

O'Neill stayed with her for a while and offered to take her to the nurse. Bell went back over and took Piper inside to get searched.

"Okay, Chapman, you're clean. You're free to go now."

"Obviously. What could I possibly be bringing back from the bus station? A bus pass?" Piper asked flippantly, but inside she was still shaking a little from the close call.

* * *

Meanwhile down the hill, Alex sat on a bed in a small cell with none other than Stella. They had been together the whole time since being processed. Neither of them had much to say to the other, and it was very awkward at times. Stella finally broke the silence.

"I'd like to give the money back," she said quietly. "Piper's money… the money that I stole from her."

Alex cringed just hearing her say Piper's name. She should be calling her Chapman like any other person that didn't know Piper well, but here she was calling her Piper… because she did know Piper. Intimately. Deep down, it still really pissed Alex off, but she knew Stella wasn't the only one to blame.

"Great, I'm sure she'll appreciate that," Alex managed to say.

"I never meant to cause problems between the two of you. It's just that I really liked her, and she seemed like she needed me too," Stella said.

"Okay, that's enough. Really. It's fine. Piper and I have worked through it, and really there's no need to dwell on it. You were nothing to her… just some prison fling. It happens. Try to move on."

"I have," Stella said defensively.

"Yeah, with Steely. I've noticed. Do you think she's happy about this shit you just pulled with King?"

"Did you talk to her? I never got the chance? Is she pissed at me?" Stella asked.

"She was disappointed. I can't really say if she was pissed or not. She just wanted me to know she didn't know anything about it," Alex said.

"Yeah, I would never involve her. I really like her," Stella said.

"Well, don't fucking steal from her, and don't try to bullshit her. She's too smart for that."

"I won't. I'm going to be a different person going forward, and it all starts with me giving Piper her money back."

Alex simply nodded her head. Then she noticed someone standing at their cell door.

"Vause, I need you to come with me," said the unfamiliar guard.

Alex stood up, she wasn't sure if she was being moved to another cell or what. She turned around and the guard handcuffed her and led her out the cell. They went into some type of holding room. Alex heard the door close behind her and she almost died when she saw who sat down across from her. Kubra Fucking Balik.

* * *

A/N – I hope you enjoyed. Only a few more chapters left. I'll try to update as soon as possible. Thanks again for the reviews. They mean a lot to me. -J


	38. Chapter 38 The Ruthless Pragmatist

Chapter 38  
The Ruthless Pragmatist

Kubra sat across from Alex, his expression blank. He was wearing a bad hair piece and he had a full beard, but Alex recognized his eyes immediately. Dark and cold, there was no mistaking them. Alex suddenly felt panicked. She had no idea what he was doing here—or even how he got in here, but this couldn't be good. Was he pissed she got sent to Max? Was he here to kill her himself? All sorts of thoughts ran through her head, but she would have never imagined the next words out of his mouth.

"I'm going to help you get out of here, Alex," he began. "What I'm about to offer you, you will not be able to refuse. You betrayed me once, and you know better than anyone that I do not tolerate betrayals. I should have killed you, Alex, but here I am offering you my help, once again. The truth is, I need you back in my organization. Things have not been the same since you've been gone. I'm losing millions. Aydin is a complete fuck up. I tried to replace you with him, and it's just not working out."

Alex shifted a little in her seat. She wasn't sure where this conversation was going, but she decided to go along with it. "Look, Kubra, I know that I fucked up by testifying against you, but they were offering to let me out of serving years in prison. At the time, it seemed like the right thing to do—for myself. You've never spent time in here, you don't know what a place like this can do to you. Mentally, I just wasn't thinking straight. You're a ruthless pragmatist just like I am, so you can't tell me that you wouldn't have done the same exact thing if you were in my shoes."

"So, you're prepared to make amends by coming back to work for me then?" It was a question, but it sounded more like a demand.

Alex wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but she managed to keep her composure. "Exactly how am I supposed to do that? I have several years left on my sentence, and now that I'm in Max, I'm sure it'll be even more. Besides, I thought I was already working for you anyway selling to these prison junkies."

"What?" Kubra asked, clearly confused.

Alex was surprised by his confusion. "Um, yeah, I've been selling drugs in here for you for months. Since Aydin showed up one day and told me I had no choice and that you would kill me and Piper if I didn't."

Kubra's face turned a deep shade of red. "Fucking fucker," he said as he slammed his hand down hard on the table and then abruptly stood up and started pacing.

"You mean you didn't order Aydin to force me into selling drugs?" Alex asked in complete disbelief.

"Absolutely not," he began, "I sent Aydin here to keep an eye on you, but I never asked him to force you into selling drugs in here. That greedy bastard has been stealing my drugs and having you sell them. He's stealing from me."

Alex wasn't sure what to say. She never suspected this, but this was really working to her advantage. Aydin _was_ actually stealing from Kubra the whole time.

"I will take care of him. He will pay for this," Kubra said in an eerily calm tone, and sat back down. "Now, here's my offer to you Alex, and keep in mind that this is your last chance with me. No more betrayals. Agreed?"

"Okay, agreed," Alex said. She was curious about this offer.

Kubra leaned forward towards her, "I'm going to help you escape from here. Once you're out, I'll get you a new passport, money, a place to live… whatever you need. You will be my second in command, Alex. You will be well compensated."

"Escape? Escape from a maximum security prison? Are you fucking kidding me? She laughed.

"It will be easier than you think, I can assure you. I walked in just like this—America's most wanted… no, the World's most wanted," Kubra said proudly. "I can have you out of here as soon as tomorrow, Alex. Just say the word."

Alex realized he was quite serious. Could she really do this? Escape from prison and live her life on the run, and still under Kubra's control? She also knew Kubra wasn't really asking. He was demanding. She figured if she turned him down, he would probably kill her right now. She had to do this. There was just one thing—Piper. She couldn't run away and leave Piper. But was it fair to force Piper into living a life on the run? "Okay, I'll do it, but I have one condition."

"And that is? He asked.

"Piper," Alex said.

* * *

Piper, Steely, Nicky, and Lorna were all gathered together in the dorms. Nicky was sitting on Red's bunk looking rather distraught. Lorna had her arm around her, comforting her. Steely was in her bunk across from Piper crushing up roofies for Aydin's coffee while Piper was watching for guards or King.

"Okay, we're good to go," Steely said as she stuffed the tiny baggie of crushed up pills into her bra. "I'll make some kind of distraction, and dump this in his coffee cup. We'll need to lure him into the greenhouse somehow, and then twenty minutes later he'll be so fucked up he won't know what hit him."

"Then I'll come in and bring the gun," Piper said, affirming her role.

"Yeah, and then we'll get his prints on it, and put it in a baggie and hand it off to Nicky who'll then put it in his locker."

"And then one anonymous phone call to the cops, and it's done," Nicky chimed in.

"Let's do this," Piper said.

Steely left first and was joined by Lolly on the way to the greenhouse. Lolly wasn't privy to their plan, but Steely thought she could use Lolly to help with distracting Aydin. She told Lolly what to do, and Lolly agreed to help.

When they made it to the greenhouse, Steely saw Aydin standing by the greenhouse with his morning cup of coffee. He saw her as well, and nodded his head as a signal for her to walk over there, so she did.

"What the fuck happened to Vause?" he asked.

"Oh, you don't know?" Steely teased. "She got sent down to Max, so I guess you'll be getting new job assignment down there now to harass her more."

"Why the fuck did she get sent to Max?" he said, pulling her into the greenhouse with him. He placed his cup of coffee on the work table behind them.

"It didn't have anything to do with the drugs, if that's what you're asking. That fucking cunt, Judy King… she set up Piper to take the fall for this panty smuggling ring. Alex couldn't let that happen, so she took the blame," Steely explained.

Aydin looked confused. "King? The fucking celebrity chef?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Well, in that case, until I can get a transfer down there…" he said as he pressed closer to Steely, "you're going to be my new bitch."

Steely was ready to knee him in the crotch when Lolly burst out a window with her rake. She usually burst out a window every other week, so Steely thought it wouldn't seem like a big deal.

"Oh, shit man, I did it again," Lolly said as she peeked in at Aydin and Steely.

"Damnit, inmate, how many times have I told you to stay the fuck away from these windows," Aydin yelled as he exited the greenhouse to confront Lolly.

Steely quickly retrieved the baggie of roofies from her bra, and then nervously opened the lid on his coffee cup and dumped in the contents. She replaced the lid and gave the cup a quick swirl or two.

Aydin finally finished yelling at Lolly and came back into the greenhouse. He grabbed his coffee cup, and took a sip. "Now, where were we?" He asked. "Oh yeah, you're going to be my new bitch. You've already been working with Vause this whole time anyway. You should be really good at it, and maybe with you, I could use you for a few other things."

Steely didn't like the way he was eyeing her up and down. He truly was a loathsome prick. She wanted to kill him. She was pretty sure she could do it. There was a sharp pair of shears within reach. All she had to do was grab them and thrust them right into his cold, dead, beating heart, but she kept seeing her mom's face, and she knew that she couldn't just kill him. It would be too easy and he needed to pay for what he had done. "I'll help with the drugs, fucker, but that's all."

Aydin smirked, and took another long sip of coffee. "You'll do whatever I say." He said, as he ran his finger down her face.

She jerked back, away from his touch.

"You know, I knew your father? Louie and I worked together for a while," he said.

Steely noticed he was starting to slur a little. "No, I didn't know that, but it doesn't surprise me. He always worked with scumbags."

He turned up the coffee cup and finished it off, "I knew your mother too."

"You can say what you like about my dad, but don't you dare mention my mother," Steely warned.

Aydin stumbled a little and fell against the wall. He braced himself, and shook his head trying to focus. "I even remember you too. You were young, and so innocent. I almost hated to kill you… but you didn't die. You were supposed to die too."

He then stumbled more and fell into Steely. She let him fall onto the floor, and then she propped him up against the wall. She grabbed him by his hair, and banged his head hard against the wall. "Yeah, I know what you did you fucking piece of shit. You shot me and you killed my mother."

Aydin, with his eyes half shut, said, "I was under orders. I didn't have a choice. It was Kubra. Kubra Balik, he gave the order to kill you and your mother. I just failed at killing you too."

Just then, the door opened and Piper came in. She saw Aydin slumped on the floor, and she felt relieved. "He's out?"

"Pretty much, he just admitted to shooting me and my mother, so I'd say he's pretty fucked up. You got the gun?"

Piper pulled the gun, sealed in a plastic baggie, from her pants. She opened it quickly and stepped over Aydin and lowered herself down to face him straight on. "This is for Alex, you sick, twisted bastard." Then she spit in his face.

Steely grabbed his arm, and Piper placed the gun in his hand, being careful to not touch it. She closed his fist around it, and then gently dropped it back in the plastic bag. Back into her pants it went. Then she hit him hard in the face with her elbow. He groaned and mumbled something, then passed out completely.

"What are you going to do with him now?" Piper asked.

"I'm just going to shove him under this table, and put these pots in front. He'll sleep it off, and in a few hours he'll wake up and not remember a thing. I don't think any other guard will come this way for a while. We should be good. Just get that thing to Nicky and into his locker."

"Okay, I'm going to find her now. Be careful," Piper said as she got up to leave.

* * *

When Piper went back inside, she was confused about what was going on. It seemed like a riot. Girls were screaming, some were crying, and the guards were struggling to maintain order. She saw Nicky and Lorna and went over by them. "What's going on?"

"What, you didn't hear? They just came and took Judy King down to Max. Guess your little plan worked, Chapman," Nicky said with a huge smirk on her face.

"What?! No! Wow, I didn't think Caputo would work that fast," Piper said, smiling. "Holy fuck! Are all these girls rioting because of it?"

"Yeah, they've all lost their shit over it. This is the funniest thing I've ever seen, and I'm glad to know that I was a part of it," Nicky said proudly.

"Okay, I know we're all proud of it and everything, but don't you two have something else that needs to be done?" Lorna asked.

"Fuck… the gun. I almost forgot," Nicky said.

"Yeah, this riot thing should help us out. The guards are all so distracted, no one's going to notice you slip in there and put this in Aydin's locker," Piper said, looking around at all of the commotion.

"Okay, so do you want me to grab it out your pants, or what?" Nicky asked impatiently.

Piper rolled her eyes, and as discreetly as possible pulled the gun from her pants and passed it off to Nicky, who then stuffed it down her pants.

"So, it's like we're snatch sisters again, but in a different way this time, huh, Chapman?" Nicky asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Jesus, Nicky…" Piper said, almost laughing. "Just go… do your thing."

"And be careful," Lorna begged.

"Careful is my middle name," Nicky said as she quickly kissed her on the cheek and walked away.

* * *

Alex returned to her bunk. She was disappointed to see that Stella was still there. When she walked in, and after the guard had left, Stella spoke quietly, "I just saw them bring King in. I think they're going to let us go back up the hill soon."

Alex felt relieved, but then she remembered the deal she just made with Kubra. She knew she wouldn't be going back up the hill. "When you get back up there, I need you to give Piper a message for me. Do you think you can do that?"

"What? Why? You can tell her yourself, right?" Stella asked.

Alex fought back tears, "No, I can't."

* * *

With most of the guards trying to keep the women under control, it was easy to gain access to the front office. A telephone was used to dial a series of numbers. After two rings the other party answered.

 _"Oui?"_

"Yeah, it's me. We've got what we need. It's time."

* * *

A/N – Well, I think this is the penultimate chapter… all that's left now is to finish this. I already have an idea how to end it, but I'd like to know how you think it should end. Have a great week! - J


	39. Chapter 39 The Girls From Ipanema

Chapter 39  
The Girls From Ipanema

The warm ocean breeze and the smell of the salt water had an almost calming effect on Alex. She sat at a small table outside a local coffee bar called _Cafeina_ as she sipped her espresso while trying to calm her nerves. She had never been so worried about a shipment before. She had called her contact several times to make sure everything was on track, and had been assured several times that everything was fine and on schedule. Still, she felt anxious. Of all the shipments she had ever moved or coordinated, this one was one of the most important. This shipment might change her life forever.

 _Six months ago…_

A few days had passed since Stella had told Alex that Judy King had been brought down the hill. Alex had just finished penning a letter to Piper and was able to pass it to Stella before the guards came to retrieve them. They had been told that they would be returning up the hill to Litchfield, but Alex knew she wouldn't be going. A guard took Stella in one direction, and another took Alex into another holding room. She wondered if she would be seeing Kubra again, or would it be one of his flunkies or some guard he had paid off. She was nervous because she didn't really know how he was going to get her out of here, she just knew that he was. She sat patiently for what seemed like hours before she heard the door open and close behind her.

A familiar face sat down in front of her. The lady was dressed very professionally in a black pinstripe skirt and matching jacket. Her glasses were different, and her short cropped hair was styled nicely. She couldn't believe her eyes. Why was Lolly here? And why was she not in khakis?

"Hello, Alex," Lolly said.

When she spoke, Alex noticed something entirely different about her. She seemed cool and sophisticated—worldly. Not the goofy and aloof woman Alex was accustomed to. "Lolly… what the hell?"

She smiled at Alex warmly. "I guess I should start by formally introducing myself. My name is not Lolly Whitehill, my name is Lori Fontaine—Agent Lori Fontaine of the International Criminal Police Organization, or INTERPOL. We've been working in connection with the DEA and FBI along with several other member countries on a case against your former drug boss, Kubra Balik."

Alex didn't know how to respond. She was shocked to say the least, but finding out Lolly really wasn't Lolly and that she was some kind of agent was almost too much grasp. But she always had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to Lolly's story. She never would have guessed this though.

"Look, I know it's a lot to take in right now, but I'm going to explain this as best I can for you. I was born in America, but moved to France to attend the Sorbonne. After that, I fell in love with a wonderful French guy, we got married, and a year later I joined INTERPOL. I frequently worked on international drug smuggling cases, and since I was an American I got to work closely here with the FBI and DEA. Even the NSA and CIA, Alex," Agent Fontaine said with a smile.

"So, you were in here for what? To spy on me? I was right about you from the beginning. You _were_ stalking me. Then you made me think you were crazy. You made me think that I had attacked a crazy person… because I was going crazy!" Alex said angrily.

"No, that's not entirely true. I _was_ keeping tabs on you, but my mission here was to find out information about Kubra's operation and to also protect you."

"Protect me?" Alex asked, almost laughing. "I beat you up."

"I let you beat me up," she corrected. "Listen, before the mistrial I was sent in to Chicago with you and Piper. I sat right next to Piper on the flight there. You never saw me, but I was there to make sure you both made it to the trial. We had hoped with the both of you testifying and the evidence we had against him that would be enough to put him away. As you know, the evidence we had collected was tampered with, and Piper's testimony didn't help much either, so there was a mistrial. Kubra vanished after that. We had reports of his whereabouts all over the world, but no one could find him. That's when we started surveilling you and some of his other former associates. We watched you while you were in Queens up until the point where you got arrested again. Once you were locked up again, they sent me back in to get close to you."

"Close to me? We weren't really that close. We just… worked together," Alex said as a thought came into her mind. Lolly had been the one to tip her off about Aydin. She obviously knew who Aydin was. When she really thought about it, she realized that almost every interaction she had with Aydin, Lolly was always there in the background. Watching.

"I've been quietly gathering information for the investigation while assessing your role in the organization. I've known about what's been going on with Aydin for quite some time," she said.

"You knew? About Aydin?" Alex asked.

"That he forced you into selling drugs again? Yes, I knew after I saw him here that he was up to something. It wasn't long before I noticed the two of you talking secretively, and then you brought Steely into it."

"Yeah, well do you know what he did to Steely's mom?" Alex asked.

She held her head down and looked at her hands. "Yes, we became aware of that recently, and your friends managed to get a confession from him a few nights ago. Not to mention an anonymous phone call to Caputo to check his locker. Guess what they found?" Agent Fontaine asked.

Alex just shrugged her shoulders as if she had no idea.

"The gun that was used to murder Steely's mom. They've arrested him," she said with a slight smirk while looking directly at Alex. "I have to admit, it was a good plan. I liked it from the moment I overheard you and Piper talking about it in the chapel that day. And before you go getting upset with me… I only came in afterwards. You two were already… you know, done… when I came in."

Alex felt her cheeks flush. She remembered that day well. "You overheard us?"

"Yes. I talked it over with my bosses and we agreed to let it play out. It could greatly benefit our investigation, so I watched it unfold carefully. I even did us all a great favor by wiring the greenhouse with surveillance equipment. We have a lot of evidence against Aydin, and then when he confessed to killing Steely's mom under Kubra's orders, we knew we had Kubra too. We've got him, Alex. We can put his ass away forever now."

"Wait, I thought wiretaps were illegal and not admissible in court," Alex inquired.

"INTERPOL has different rules than the US. Besides, we're not going to try Kubra in a US court. This time he'll be extradited to France and he'll face a much tougher court system there. He won't be able to bribe his way out of it this time, or tamper with evidence."

Alex had her doubts. Somehow Kubra always managed to slip away. "So what about Aydin? Will he be extradited as well?"

"No, he'll face drug trafficking and murder charges here in the US. We think once he finds out he'll never have a chance at seeing the outside of a prison again, he'll tell us everything we want to know about Kubra's involvement in the murder. We'll offer him a reduced sentence—instead of the death penalty, he'll get life—either way he'll never see the outside of a prison again. If Kubra doesn't have him killed for snitching, he'll just rot there. Aydin doesn't matter to us much anyway. You're the one we need, Alex."

"Me? What, you need me to testify? I wasn't involved with Steely's mom's murder. I only recently found out about it. I'm not sure what I could offer that would help with that," Alex explained.

"No, we need your testimony about Kubra's international drug smuggling operation. We know you were one of his top recruiters. You knew the routes, you knew the players, and you were as close to Kubra's second in command as anyone else before you got arrested. We need your testimony to nail his ass. Also, Louie De Luca has agreed to work with us and testify against him. He has explicit knowledge of how Kubra traveled and entered some of the countries where he was on a watch list."

Alex was hesitant. This all sounded too good to be true. And the fact that if she did testify against him and he got away with it again, he would surely have her killed for betraying him yet again. He would more than likely kill Piper too. Alex wasn't sure it was worth the risk. Plus Kubra was about to get her out of here—permanently. "I don't know… I mean, can I think about it a few days?"

"What's there to think about, Alex? I'm offering you the chance to put these guys away forever. You wouldn't have to worry about them forcing you to do anything ever again. You and Piper could be free to live your lives in peace together. Isn't that worth it?" She asked, her blue eyes pleading with Alex.

"Kubra will have me killed if I testify against him again. I know this for a fact. It's not worth me or Piper dying for."

"I know you think that could happen, but I'm telling you… he's not going to get away with it this time. Not in our French courts. I can also offer you and Piper a type of witness protection program. He'll never be able to find you again."

"Yeah, and Piper would never be able to see her friends or family either. No way, I don't want that," Alex said.

"Okay, well tell me what you do want. What would it take to get you to testify against him?"

Alex was ready for this… she knew what she wanted. "I want out… out of prison, for good. No more prison and no more probation. And I want Piper out too. You give me that, and I'll testify against him."

Agent Fontaine considered it, and then said, "Okay, let me make a few phone calls. Anything else you want, because now's the time to ask?"

"Yeah, one more thing… I want our passports reissued to us and with no travel restrictions."

"Okay, that might be pushing it a little, Vause. If we do that, how are we to be sure that you'll actually show up to testify against him and that you two just won't take off and disappear for good?"

"Did I mention that Kubra paid me a visit—right here—just a couple of days ago?" Alex asked with a smirk.

"You're fucking kidding me? Okay, I'll see what I can do about the passports, but I need you tell me everything about that meeting."

* * *

Piper and Steely were both in their bunks. They were enjoying the peacefulness of not having King in there with them anymore. Red's bunk was also still empty, so it was just the two of them for now. They quietly celebrated after Aydin's arrest a few days ago. Nicky and Lorna had joined them. They passed around some of Poussey's hooch, but Piper declined. She knew she didn't need to start back down that road again. She was patiently awaiting Alex's return, and she wanted to be stone cold sober.

"So, do you think they'll be back today?" Steely asked.

"God, I hope so. It feels like it's been so long," Piper said as she laid back on her bed and stared up at the bunk above her.

"Yeah. Look, I know you don't care much for Stella, but I really like her, Piper. If that's a problem, I'm sorry," Steely said sincerely.

"It's fine. As far as I'm concerned this whole thing with Stella and King it's all over. I mean, I'm not going to be her biggest fan, but I hope that you can find happiness with her. If that's what you want, I mean," Piper said.

"You know, I'm not sure what I want right now. I mean, we both lied to each other in the beginning. She lied about King, I lied about Aydin and my mom. I just hope that we can move forward after this, and be more honest with each other. I'm not looking for forever, but I do enjoy her accent," Steely said with a smile.

Piper rolled her eyes, and smiled. "Yeah, just don't let that accent get you into trouble."

"Okay, inmate, this is your new bunk assignment," Officer O'Neill said as Steely and Piper sat up at the same time.

"Stella?" Steely asked and stood up to give her a hug.

"Where's Alex?" Piper asked urgently.

"She didn't come back up with me. She asked me to give you this," Stella said as she pulled a folded piece of paper from her jacket pocket.

Piper grabbed it quickly. "Why didn't she come back with you? Is she still down there? Why didn't they let her come back too? She's been cleared."

"I don't know… All I know is some guard took her away for a while and when she came back I told her that King had been brought in and that we should be coming back up the hill. She just kept saying that she wouldn't be coming back. She didn't explain it to me, but I'm sure she did to you," Stella said as she pointed at the letter in Piper's hand.

"Come on, Stella, let's give Piper some privacy. You can put your stuff in the bunk above me," Steely said as she winked.

Piper sat back down on her bunk. She was confused. She didn't understand why Alex would not have come back. She slowly opened the letter, and started to read it.

 _Dear Pipes,_

 _I'm sure as you're reading this letter you're wondering why I'm not there. Believe me, it's not that I don't want to be there with you, it's just that I can't. Over the next few days you'll probably be hearing some stuff about me, and you probably won't understand why. I'm not even sure I understand, but just know that I had no other choice. I had to do this. I had to protect us both. When you get out in the next few months, someone will deliver more information to you. There's also some money and an apartment that I want you to have. It will help you get by until you can get back on your feet again. I'm sorry I cannot tell you more now, but just know that I love you, Piper. I don't regret a single day that we've spent together, and I will miss you more than you can ever imagine._

 _I would say 'until we meet again', but like Rumi says:_ Lovers never meet, they're in each other all along. _I think that this describes us perfectly, Piper. Please remember, no matter what, I'm always with you, and I carry you close to my heart._

 _Love,  
Alex_

Piper wiped her eyes. Her heart was broken, and she didn't understand what Alex was doing. They had all worked so hard to bring down Aydin, and King… and now Alex was just going to what? Stay at Max? She thought maybe Alex was getting cold feet about their relationship and this was her way of breaking up with her. She still didn't understand what Alex meant by 'I had to protect us both.' Was she in danger somehow, had Kubra sent someone else into Max? She hated not knowing. She also hated the feeling of loneliness that was starting to overwhelm her. She laid back down on her bed, and pulled the covers and pillow over her head and started to cry.

She was still in this same position when Nicky came to her later that evening. Nicky had heard from Steely that Alex didn't come back, and she was trying to get Piper to get up and come to dinner. Piper refused, and Nicky finally left her alone.

A few minutes later, Piper could hear someone coming into their cube again. She figured Nicky was coming back to try one last time to get her to eat. She felt someone gently touch her back, and without thinking, she started yelling, "Look, Nicky… I'm not fucking hungry, okay? If I get hungry, you'll be the first to know, but for now… can you just please leave me the fuck alone?"

"Okay, I know I've been gone for a while, but since when does Nicky come visit you at your bedside?" Asked a familiar voice.

Piper sat straight up, and she almost thought she was dreaming. It wasn't Nicky at all… it was Alex.

"Alex?" She asked in disbelief as she rubbed her eyes.

"Yeah, Pipes, it's me. Are you okay?" Alex asked while sitting down on the bunk beside her.

"You're here? You're really here?" Piper asked while touching Alex's cheek gently.

"Yeah, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere… not without you, anyway," Alex said as she reached forward and pulled Piper to her lips.

When they finally pulled away from each other, Piper managed, "But, what was that letter? Why didn't you come back when Stella came back down? What did you mean by 'protect us both'?"

Alex sat up and looked around to make sure no one was listening, then she started to explain. "You wouldn't believe what's happened in the past few days, Piper. I can hardly believe it myself. I have amazing news that's going to change our lives forever. Are you ready?"

Piper was as intrigued as ever, "Yes, please… tell me what's going on, Alex."

"We're getting out of here. Like soon, within the next few days, hopefully," Alex said.

"What? Shut up! Are you serious, Alex? How is that possible?" Piper asked.

"Okay, remember Lolly?"

"Obviously, yeah. Where is Lolly anyway, I haven't seen her in days?" Piper wondered.

"Brace yourself, but Lolly really isn't Lolly. Lolly is an INTERPOL agent," Alex explained.

"Okay, Alex, you know you really can't believe some of those crazy stories she tells," Piper said.

"No, seriously, Piper. She met with me down at Max. She was dressed to the nines, and she's not crazy… that was just part of her undercover role. She's legit. She's INTERPOL. She's been working with the agencies here and around the world to catch Kubra."

"Really, Alex? So, what does she want with you? Does she want you to testify again?"

"Yes, but this time he'll be extradited to France and face the courts there. Not here. She really thinks with my testimony and Louie's that we can nail him once and for all."

"But, Alex… if he finds out you're going to testify against him, he'll kill you. And what if this doesn't work again, he'll always be after you."

"I know, I've thought about that too. I made a deal with her. My testimony for our immediate free and clear release. No probation, nothing… and I told her I wanted our passports back with no travel restrictions," Alex said.

"What? And they agreed?" Piper asked, stunned.

"Yep," Alex said smiling.

"Oh my God, Alex. We're getting out?!"

"Yes, baby… we're getting the fuck out of here and never coming back," Alex said as she kissed Piper again.

"You know, Al, if we have our passports we can just disappear… you don't have to testify, and we can live our lives some place where they would never find us," Piper suggested.

"Believe me that thought has definitely crossed my mind, but you know what, Piper? I'm tired of living my life in fear of anyone. I'm going to testify against this fucker, and then we're going to disappear… wherever you want to go, just tell me. We can go anywhere we want. If you still want that?" Alex asked hesitantly.

Piper turned and looked into Alex's burning green eyes and said, "I've never wanted anything more."

"Oh, my God! Alex!" Nicky said as she came back into the dorms and saw her. She went over and Alex stood up and gave her a hug. Shortly after, Steely came and joined them.

"Good to see you, both. And thank you all for helping out with this whole thing. Thanks for looking after Piper," Alex said.

"So, what happened? Stella said you weren't coming back?" Steely asked as she sat down on her own bunk. Nicky sat down beside her.

Alex explained the whole story to them. By the time she was done, both of their mouths had dropped.

"You're both getting out?" Nicky asked with a huge smile on her face.

"Wait, Lolly is a fucking INTERPOL agent?" Steely asked, mind still blown by this revelation.

They all laughed. Then they heard the guards announce it was count time. Nicky got up to return to her bunk, but Alex stayed.

"I got assigned a new bunk," Alex said while throwing her stuff onto the bunk above Piper.

"Are you serious? You're in here?" Piper asked with a huge smile.

"Yep, right on top of you," Alex said flirtatiously as they made their way to stand outside their cube for count.

After the guards were done counting, and they were on their way back to their bunks, Piper whispered, "When lights are out, you better be in my bed… with me."

Alex laughed. She hadn't felt this happy in such a long time. She took Piper by both of her hands and pulled her down onto the bunk with her. "So where do you want to go?"

"Mmmm, some place warm and near a beach. Somewhere exciting and adventurous. Someplace with lots of people where we can just blend into the crowd. Someplace that never sleeps, someplace that's really alive. What do you think?" Piper asked.

"I think that sounds perfect, and I think I know the perfect place," Alex said.

* * *

 _Present Day…_

Alex sat waiting on the delivery, and she thought back to their last day at Litchfield and the months after that.

They had just got done with a little farewell party that Nicky and Lorna had organized in the rec room. She was on her way back to pack up a few things, when Steely stopped her and asked if they could speak privately. They discussed the money that they had transferred from what they thought was Kubra's account into Aydin's account to set him up. Since Kubra and Aydin were both about to go down anyway, they decided to move the money again, and divide it evenly. That little moment with Steely made Alex a millionaire, and she knew it would be plenty of money to get her and Piper where they wanted to be.

After they were released they stayed with Piper's brother Cal and his wife for a while until it was time for Alex to travel to France to testify against Kubra. Aydin had already taken a plea deal and was cooperating to testify against Kubra as well. He was getting life in prison, with no possibility of parole. Piper went with Alex to France, and they met with Lolly aka Agent Fontaine. Piper had been impressed with Agent Fontaine, and she sat with her during the whole trial. Alex did her part as she agreed and she testified against Kubra once again. She avoided his death stare the whole time, and when the trial was finally over, Kubra was sentenced to 150 years in La Sante Prison. La Sante was ranked as one of the ten worst prisons in the world. It was just what he deserved. However, he didn't get to serve out much of his sentence. Apparently he pissed off some Russian guy, and the Russian guy shanked him. He still got what he deserved, and this meant Alex and Piper could live their lives without having to worry about Kubra Balik ever again. Alex often wondered if their old friend, Red, had anything to do with that.

Things had worked out perfectly for them, so far. After the trial was over, they were finally free to start living. They had chosen Rio de Janeiro as their new home. It was everything they wanted. It was tropical and exciting, and the whole city felt alive. They had been here for two months now, and had found a nice little house in the Ipanema area. It was a nice spacious, open floor plan that was right on the beach. Piper had been spending her days learning Portuguese and redecorating the house. She had also started making soaps and lotions again and wanted to open a little shop. Alex was helping her find the perfect spot.

Alex had been spending her days reading and swimming in the ocean. She had also just purchased a sailboat that she planned to charter out to take guests on trips around Guanabara Bay and the coastline. Tourists and adventurers loved that sort of thing, so she figured it would be a good investment. Who cared if she'd never sailed a boat before. She had time to learn, and she had hired a very good instructor to teach her.

She and Piper were doing great. They were happier now than they had ever been before. It was amazing how easy it could be when you didn't have an international drug cartel getting in the way. Their days were spent on the beach or just relaxing under the palm trees in a huge hammock where they took long afternoon naps wrapped around one another. Their nights were spent out dancing and eating local cuisine. When they finally made it home each night, they made love until the sun came up. They slept until noon and started all over again. It was heaven. They were finally free, and finally together without anything or anyone coming between them.

Alex was interrupted by her thoughts when a young guy on a bicycle came up to her table. "Senhora Vause?" He asked.

"Sim," Alex responded.

He handed her a small package.

"Obrigada," Alex said as she tipped him generously.

She quickly opened the package, and saw the smaller box inside. It had been years since she had seen it, but she still remembered it exactly. It was a platinum band, 2.5 carat heart shaped diamond with two pear cut diamonds on each side. The last time she had looked at it was when she was going to propose to Piper in Paris all those years ago. It was still just as beautiful. She had been so nervous about having it shipped here, but she had a little help getting it here safely thanks to their old friend, Red. She left a tip on the table for her espresso, and headed for home. Piper had no idea, and that was the plan. She wanted everything to be perfect.

When she arrived at their home, Piper was out for a swim. She grabbed the picnic basket and filled it with wine, cheese, mangoes, açaí, and another interesting fruit. _Hmmm_ , she thought. After that, she grabbed some blankets and pillows and headed out to meet Piper on the beach. She put the basket and blankets under a nice big mango tree that provided a shady and cozy spot for them. She watched as Piper came over to join her. She was tall and tan and young and lovely. _She really was the girl from Ipanema._ Alex thought as she laughed quietly to herself.

"Hi," Piper said as she leaned down and kissed Alex. "Oh, you made a picnic basket for us, that's so sweet, baby. I'm starving."

Piper sat down on the blanket next to Alex. Alex pulled a couple of glasses from the basket, opened the wine, and poured.

"To what shall we toast?" Piper asked.

"How about to us?" Alex asked.

"Sounds perfect," Piper said as she clinked her glass to Alex's.

Alex watched as Piper devoured the cheese and fruit. She guessed she really was starving. She started to laugh at her a little.

"What?" Piper asked, noticing Alex was obviously laughing at her. "I told you, I missed fresh fruits and vegetables so much in prison. I just can't seem to get enough of them now."

"Yeah, I remember you saying that. I also remember another time you and I discussed fruit… while we were in a fictional 'grocery store'. Do you remember that?" Alex asked.

Piper smiled shyly, "Yes, how could I forget that? That's when you finally forgave me for what I had done to you."

"Yes, but it was more than that," Alex said.

"Really? What?" Piper asked.

"That was the moment that I realized that you really did love me, and more importantly, I loved you just as much," Alex said as she looked at Piper's beautiful blue eyes.

"Yeah?" Piper asked, smiling. "I'm glad you realized it, and I'm glad that you love me just as much."

"Remember how you offered me a Persimmon?"

"Yeah," Piper laughed, "It was the first fruit that came to my mind."

Alex reached in the basket and pulled out a Persimmon. Then she handed it to Piper. "I've already cut it open for you," she said.

"Oh, Alex… that's so sweet, you remembered," Piper said as she reached forward to kiss Alex.

She pulled it open and started to take a bite, when something shiny caught her eye. It was a ring. A really nice ring, with a huge diamond. She just stared at it in awe, then she felt tears starting to form in her eyes. "Oh, Alex."

Alex looked at Piper, and said the words that she wanted to say so long ago, but now she was glad that they had been forced to wait, because now—in this moment—everything was finally perfect. "Will you marry me, Piper?"

"Alex! I can't believe it… is this the ring… from Paris?" She asked.

"Yes," Alex said moving closer to Piper.

"Where did it come from, how did you get it here? Have you had it all this time?"

"Pipes, come on… I can give you the details later, but for now can you just answer _me_?"

"Yes," Piper said.

"Yes? Is that a yes?" Alex asked as she pushed Piper's hair back and kissed her.

"Yes, that's a yes. Of course, I will marry you," Piper said and then she kissed Alex again.

They spent the rest of the afternoon underneath that mango tree. In fact, they spent the entire night under it… lost in each other.

A/N – Well, that's it my friends. I really hope you enjoyed this final chapter, and I really hope that you enjoyed the entire story. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started it, and I had no idea that it would go on for as long as it did. I started writing it as a way to pass the time until Season 4, and I have to say it's really helped me pass that time. Now I'm looking forward to reading some other fanfics to get me through until Season 4. I appreciate each and every one of you, and I thank you all for the reviews that you have left. Happy Holidays, and have a very prosperous and happy New Year. -J


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